The Life
by Alucard's Familiar
Summary: CHAPTER ONE REVISED! The rest are on the way. FUJITAKAXKAHO pairing. Yes I am rabid. Kaho appears with a few new abilities and follows Sakura and her father on a task to save a mountain range from being destroyed by a demon bent on killing everything and
1. Chapter 1

Alucard's Familiar: "Hi! I'm a new writer on the block who is an insane F+K fan. Warning, this fic has Eriol bashing. I don't usually bash characters I love them all. We all love Eriol!"

Everyone dog piles on Eriol.

Alucard's Familiar: "I don't own Cardcaptor Sakura or any of its characters, but I do own this story! I also use the manga spellings for their names because I think the manga is cooler than the animated series. R&R onegai! Enjoy!"

"Normal dialogue"

_Though_

_**Telepathy**_

Any questions?

The Life

Chapter 1

A mile in the air, a raven circled and followed a young girl as it was chased by a large black shadow. The aviator's golden eyes fixed on the small brunette as it landed in a tree of a clearing as stopped to face the shadow.

"What is that thing?" Sakura asked as she dodged the black thing. The shadow whirled around and attacked again, catching Sakura on the side. She fell and Kerberos covered her from further the attacks. The shadow turned once more, aiming for the sun guardian before something grayish red slammed into it.

"What is that?" Sakura asked as she sat up.

"A dog from the looks of it, possibly a wolf. Strange," Kero mumbled to himself.

The dog latched onto the shadow wolf's throat and locked its grip, suffocating it, then tossed in Sakura's direction. The young captor set it ablaze with The Fiery Card, staring at the glow if the burning corpse before her attention easily swayed over to her savior. It hadn't gone unscathed, baring heavily bleeding wounds in its sides and down a few of its legs.

"Oh Kero, it's hurt," Sakura went to go to it.

"Stop right there!" Yue shouted, "That _is_ a wolf, you don't know what it will do to you when it's hurt."

"But I can't just leave it here, it saved my life," Sakura said as she walked over to it. She went to kneel down next to it, but the wolf leapt away. "Hey, I'm not going to hurt you."

**_I know that_**, came a weak voice. The wolf shimmered and changed shape. Sakura gasped at who it was.

"Ms. Mitsuki!" Sakura shouted, "How did you become that wolf?"

"I learned to shape shift, I had to, to get here," Mitsuki said.

Sakura noticed something strange about her former teacher, "Hey wait a minute!"

Mitsuki panicked and shifted back into wolf form and went to dart away.

"Kero, Yue, stop her!" Sakura shouted and the guardians surrounded the wolf.

Mitsuki circled, looking for a way out. She stared at the sun guardian and lunged at him. Kero flinched at the sudden movement and Mitsuki got through.

"After her!" Sakura said as she called on the Fly Card.

Kaho stopped in the trees that would conceal her for a little bit of time and shifted out of wolf form.

_I wish I didn't have to run from you Sakura, but I can't let you see me like this, it's not right_, Mitsuki thought to herself. She looked down at her left arm and found it had a deep gash down the center. _No wonder I can't run very well..._

She heard Sakura and the guardians coming closer and she swore.

_I wish Sakura hadn't gotten so good with the Fly Card_, Kaho said to herself as she shifted back to wolf form. She ran through the woods like her life depended on it, and it did. She emerged from the woods and ran into the open.

"There she is," Sakura said and she swooped down on her. "Windy Card, form a cage to trap Ms. Mitsuki! Windy!"

Kaho looked up at the Card as it advanced on her and made a mad dash in one direction. It didn't work, the Windy caught her in one second and she was trapped inside a gentle whirlwind that held her in place. The Windy touched down on the ground as Sakura walked over, but it didn't release her.

"Ms. Mitsuki, what are you doing here?" Sakura asked, "How did you get-" she was cut off when Kaho thrashed inside the bubble that Windy had created, trying frantically to get free.

"Stop! You'll hurt yourself!" Sakura shouted and Kaho settled down. "I'll try again, why are you here?"

**_I needed to get away, my life depended on it_**, Kaho said, **_I can't explain anything else, please, let me go, I'll just be a bother to you._**

"No, you're hurt, you need a doctor, please, let me help you," Sakura said.

**_NO_**! Kaho screamed and she thrashed crazily inside the bubble.

"No! Kero how do I stop her?" Sakura asked the guardian.

"I'm not sure what will work on her Sakura," the guardian said, "Remember, she is resistant to magic."

"Well, I have to try something," Sakura said, "Sleep!" The Sleep Card rained down on Kaho.

For a moment Kaho stopped thrashing and her eyes flashed brightly. The Sleep was sent away back to the girl.

"I told you," Kero said.

"If she can repel this, why can't she break through the Windy?" Sakura asked, getting more worried by the minute.

"The elements are stronger than any of the other Cards, she can't break free," Yue said.

"I guess we'll have to bring her home," Sakura said, "we better get walking."

They made it to the gate of Sakura house when she realized who was standing out front waiting for her.

"Oh, I wasn't counting on explaining this to Dad," Sakura chewed on a fingernail as they neared the house.

"Now is as just as good a time as any," Yue said.

"He's right Sakura," Kero agreed.

"Sakura, what in the world is this?" Fujitaka asked as his daughter walked up to him. What followed her looked like a winged lion and an angel. Behind Sakura was what looked like a bubble with something trapped inside.

"Dad, let me explain," Sakura explained, "This is Kerberos and Yue. They were once sealed in that strange book that was in the basement. I found it and they were released. Kero lived with me in my room while I captured what are called Clow Cards that were stored in the book, and now I have transformed them into my Cards, Sakura Cards. Yue was the judge, he decided whether or not I would be a good master for the Cards or not. As you can see, I passed… with help…" She turned and looked the Windy globe, "And with that short nutshell explanation, it brings me to what is in that bubble.

"In there is an injured wolf, but it is not a wolf," Sakura explained, "You do remember my substitute math teacher right?" Fujitaka nodded. "She had magic, a lot, she still does, and that is what now enables her to shape-shift. _She_ is the wolf inside the bubble, and as you can see, she is in need of help. But she's so bent on getting away from me that she's oblivious to that fact that she's hurt. Can you help me?"

"Sakura, you're sure that's your teacher?" Fujitaka asked.

"Positive," Sakura turned to the bubble, "Ms. Mitsuki, please calm down. Transform out of wolf shape right now, please."

Kaho stopped thrashing for a second and looked at Sakura. She sighed heavily and shifted out of wolf form for only a few seconds, and then she quickly shifted back and lay down in the bubble, too exhausted to thrash anymore.

"Believe me now?" Sakura asked.

"She's," Fujitaka started.

"Yeah, I know, but she won't tell me, and every time I offer to help her, she goes crazy and fights to get away," Sakura answered her father's question before he asked it. "So what do we do?"

"Well, first lets-" Fujitaka was cut off by Kaho shattering the bubble Windy had made and she fled down the street.

"No, after her!" Sakura shouted and she ran after her teacher.

Kaho ran as fast as her legs would carry her. She wouldn't let them catch her, not until she was sure she wouldn't cause them any harm in the future. She didn't care if she had to hide from them for days, she wouldn't be caught.

"Ms. Mitsuki!" Sakura cried and Kaho looked behind her. Sakura was flying at full speed behind her. Kaho growled and put on a burst of speed. Her injured legs were about to give way, but she had to keep going.

"Kero, circle around her!" Sakura shouted and Kerberos flew around the wolf and blocked her. Kaho snarled at the guardian.

"This is very unlike her," Yue said, "She doesn't have a mean bone in her body.

"I know," Sakura said as she landed on the other side of her teacher, "Ms. Mitsuki, you're hurting yourself more like this, please stop."

Kaho growled, but something behind Sakura made her stop.

**_Sakura! Watch out!_** Kaho cried out, but it was too late. The shadow had already attacked, sending a wave of wind at them, throwing them all against the wall of a fence.

Sakura looked up and wished she were at home. The demon was stalking toward her and she winced, waiting for the attack. It never came.

Kaho lunged at the demon, throwing it into a physical form. Its form was a black wolf, twice as big as Kaho, similar to the one she had fought a few moments ago.

"She has no chance," Kero said.

"Ms. Mitsuki!" Sakura cried.

Kaho lunged and the demon attacked. The fight was bloody, and Sakura thought she was going to be sick. Blood splattered on the ground as the wolf fell, its throat had been ripped out.

Kaho shook out her fur, getting all of the shadow wolf's blood off of her. It burned, and her own wounds throbbed and stung. She limped over to Sakura and looked up at the girl.

**_I give up_**, she said as she shifted out of wolf form. She looked down at Sakura with a sad smile, "Sorry..." Kaho passed out, but Fujitaka made it there just in time to catch her.

"Gotcha," he said as he caught her.

"She's hurt Dad, what do we do?" Sakura asked.

"We get her inside, that's what," Fujitaka said as he started to walk back to the house.

Kaho opened her eyes to unfamiliar surroundings. She looked around from where she laid, but didn't recognize anything. She went to sit up, but winced and stayed were she was as a lightning bolt of pain went through her. Her left arm was bandaged all the way up to her shoulder and her head pounded.

She tried to sit up again and made it. She looked around the room as she tried to over ride the pain of her injuries. She heard footstep coming towards the room, and leaned up against the back of the couch as the footsteps got closer. Sakura walked into the room a second later and a smiled spread out on her face when she saw she was awake.

"Ms. Mitsuki, you're awake," Sakura said and she turned in the doorway and called to her father, "She's awake."

Fujitaka walked into the room behind Sakura, who had scampered over to the couch. Kero was sitting on Sakura's shoulder and he smiled at Sakura's former teacher evilly. He flew off of Sakura shoulder and hovered in front of Kaho's face. He started to glow brightly as he started talking.

"Why were you running away from us in the first place huh?" Kero asked, he looked intimidating as he glowed. "What happened, how did you get pregnant?"

"Kero!" Sakura shouted as she snatched the guardian away, "You are so rude sometimes. I doubt she wants to talk about that right now."

"Actually, I was about to ask her what happened my own self," Fujitaka said.

Kaho didn't look at them, then she signaled Fujitaka to cover Sakura's ears. The man leaned over and did so, his daughter sitting still and waited so her father could get the information he wanted "I was raped."

Fujitaka went rigid and Kero fell out of the air and onto the floor in unexpected surprise, "When? The man asked.

"January," Kaho answered and Fujitaka flinched. It was the beginning of October, and would be due sooner than he expected.

"Who was it?" Fujitaka asked and Kaho shrugged. "What about Eriol?"

"He didn't believe me," Kaho said, "That's why I traveled back here, but I had to do it alone. I learned how to shape-shift by the time I got to the coast of England. Eriol had managed to hack into the bank I had been using and looked my account, so traveling my normal means was impossible. I traveled here in multiple different animal shapes. I went through Europe and Asia to get here. I haven't stopped since I started; this is the first time I've been inside a building since I left England."

Kero whispered to Sakura what had happened and Sakura finally understood. The girl cursed and stormed upstairs, preaching how she was going to write an strongly worded letter to the boy for doing what he had done.

"Wow, I didn't know she knew that kind of language," Kero said as she Sakura walked upstairs.

"Neither did I," Fujitaka said with a small glare at the guardian.

"I didn't teach her that, I don't even speak that way!" Kero said.

"Right…" Fujitaka said as he looked back at Kaho. "Since you don't have a place to stay, you can stay here."

"What about Toya?" Kero asked and Kaho flinched at the name.

"We'll have to deal with Toya at a later time," Fujitaka said as he looked over at Kaho, then he had second thoughts when he saw the fear in her eyes. "I don't know if there's a place we can hide you," Fujitaka said.

"She can stay in my room," Sakura said as she walked back into the room, "Toya never goes in there unless he thinks I have something of his."

"But you already have Kero in there with you," Fujitaka said.

"I sleep in her desk drawer," Kero said in a matter of fact tone, which got a small giggle out of Sakura .

"You really don't have to do this," Kaho said.

"Yes I do," Fujitaka said, "You saved my daughter, I owe you my life, because my kids are my life." Kaho was quiet after that.

"I owe her too," Sakura said, "She saved me at my Final Judgment, I have my own debt to repay."

"What do you think?" Fujitaka asked.

"I guess, but you really don't ha-"

"Don't start that again," Fujitaka interrupted her, "Can you stand?" Kaho shrugged as Fujitaka walked over to her and helped her up. They all walked upstairs and Sakura scampered into her room just as they heard the front door open and Toya's voice. Fujitaka hurried downstairs to keep Toya busy as Sakura quickly closed her bedroom door.

"This is going to be harder than I expected," Sakura said as Kaho leaned against the wall.

"I hope we don't have to explain everything to your brother like we did with your father," Kero said as he floated by Sakura.

"He already knows," Kaho said.

"What?" Sakura asked.

"At your Final Trial," Kaho started, "He was there the whole time. He watched the whole thing. I knew he was there, and I spoke to him after. I made him promise to keep quiet, I guess it doesn't matter now."

"Sakura! Do you have my alarm clock again?" Toya asked as he neared the door.

Sakura and Kaho looked at each other in panic as Toya opened the door. Kaho was leaning against the wall near the door so when it was opened it slammed the wall, Sakura flinched at the noise.

"Toya, you say I'm loud, no I don't have your alarm clock," Sakura said, "Are you sure you didn't leave it at Yukito's house?"

"I don't think so," Toya said.

There was chirping at the top of the door and they looked up to see a yellow bird sitting on top of the door.

_Ho-e, she's fast,_ Sakura thought with a sigh of relief.

"How did this bird get in here?" Toya asked.

"Um, I had my window open and it flew in. I've been trying to catch it," Sakura said.

"I'll get it," Toya said and he jumped up and grabbed the bird. "Open your window."

Sakura stared at him for a minute, and then she went and opened her window. Toya tossed the little bird out and Sakura flinched when she watched a cat jump into the tree.

"Thanks Toya, bye," Sakura said as she closed the door after him. She ran back over to her window and opened it. An owl flew in and scared Sakura.

**_Remind me to kick that cat later_**, Kaho said as she shifted out of owl form.

"Sorry about that," Sakura said and Kaho looked down at her with a tired smile.

Alucard's Familiar: "How was that for a first chapter? For those of you who actually took the time to read this, I'm going to point something out. I believe the whole SxS pairing has been over done, as have most of the other cannon pairings. It's not that I dislike them, far from it. Holds up banner cheering for SxS I just feel other pairings should be explored and elaborated on. I created this pairings (Of which I'm completely addicted to) and usually base most of my fics around it. I don't write much, nothing of yet, of any other pairing. But I do support the YukitoxToya pairings, which I will dabble in with my main fics. It is my mission in life to hook more people to the FujitakaxKaho pairing So please excuse my obsessive fangirliness for it. Thank you for reading and the next chapter will be up soon!"


	2. Chapter 2

Alucard's Familiar: Hi all! Here's the next chapter, I hope you like. Eriol gets a major chewing out by Sakura and the rest just sit back watch. Sorry about the telepathy and though illustrating, I think I have that fixed  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own CCS *throw tantrum* Oh well. Enjoy  
  
{Thought}  
  
-Telepathy-  
  
"Normal Dialogue"  
  
Clear? Me hope so  
  
Chapter 2  
  
Sakura was dreaming, a regular accuracy for her, but this was different, this was all too clear. She saw a pair of evil green eyes staring at her, then a mountainous area covered in red rocks. They were camping out, yet there was something too serious about it. Kaho was dodging strange beams and her father and herself were flying on Kero somewhere below. Everything exploded and Sakura sat up in bed.  
  
She looked around her room with a sigh. She smiled as she looked down to see Kaho sleeping on a mattress near her bed. She was glad it was a weekend; last night would have been torture if she had to go to school that day. She slipped out of bed and got dressed in the bathroom and went downstairs.  
  
"See you later Kaijuu," Toya said as he walked out the door for work.  
  
"I'm not a Kaijuu," Sakura said, but she didn't scream it like she usually did. Instead she shot back at him, "If anything, you're a Kaijuu." Toya was already out the door. Sakura grumbled as she sat down at the table and ate her breakfast.  
  
"Kaho still asleep?" Fujitaka asked.  
  
"When I left my room she was," Sakura said as Kero floated into the kitchen.  
  
"Man, she hits hard," Kero said as he rubbed his head.  
  
"Let me guess, you woke her up," Sakura said as she chewed her breakfast.  
  
"So what, she was sleeping the day away anyways," Kero said as he nibbled on Sakura's breakfast.  
  
"Kero, she's pregnant, she needs more sleep," Fujitaka said, but Kero didn't say anything, he just finished what he was chewing and flew back upstairs, "I doubt she slept much last night anyways, she and I talked pretty late into the night."  
  
"I didn't even hear her leave the room," Sakura said.  
  
"I didn't hear her enter the basement where I told her to meet me," Fujitaka said.   
  
"She surprised me when she walked up behind me."  
  
"What did you guys talk about?" Sakura asked.  
  
"That's between Kaho and me," Fujitaka said, clearly stating the obvious.  
  
"All right," Sakura said as she finished breakfast and walked back upstairs. Kerberos was sitting in the middle of the room and Kaho was sitting on Sakura's desk chair.  
  
"Why don't I like the look of this?" Sakura asked as she closed the door.  
  
"Nothing's wrong Sakura, we are just discussing Eriol," Kero said.   
  
"I would like to call Eriol a very rude name," Sakura said as she walked over and sat on her bed. "You'd think he would believe you. He's usually very understanding, I don't understand why he kicked you out."  
  
"You think I have any more of an idea than you do?" Kaho asked. "The only thing that probably kept me from giving up was Nakuru giving Eriol hell when he closed the door. I bet he still getting hell. I could hear Nakuru as I walked down the street."  
  
"I hope Spinal bit him," Kero said, "I usually don't have such distaste for someone, but this gives me a good reason for it."  
  
"I agree," Sakura said, "I usually try to find the good in any person, but this is just an act of arrogance. Leaves a bad taste in my mouth."  
  
Kaho just sat there glaring at the wall, clearly lost in her own thoughts. Sakura leaned down to Kero and whispered, "If looks could kill we'd be dead and cremated by now."  
  
Kero chuckled, "Yes, I agree." Then Kero looked up at Kaho as she closed her eyes. Kero walked over to Kaho and sat down in front of her. His eyes glowed gold for a second then they went back to normal. "Sakura, get your father, her contractions have started." Sakura bolted out of the room.  
  
***  
  
"I hate sitting here by myself," Sakura said.  
  
"Yukito will be right back Sakura," Kero said, who hid in her pocket.  
  
"Yeah, well these waiting rooms drive me insane, they're too quiet," Sakura said as she fidgeted in her seat.  
  
Yukito walked back over with two sodas and handed one to Sakura. "Thanks," Sakura said as she opened the soda, took a drink, then offered some to Kero.  
  
Fujitaka walked out a few moments later and sat down hard on a chair.  
  
"Dad? How's Ms. Mitsuki?" Sakura asked.  
  
"Free," Fujitaka said.  
  
"Hu?" Sakura and Yukito said at the same time.  
  
"The fighting last night must have taken its toll on her," Fujitaka said as he took off his glasses and rubbed his eyes, "The baby's stillborn."  
  
"I know under normal circumstances this would be rude, but these aren't normal circumstances so, all right!" Kero snickered.  
  
"I agree," Sakura said with a smile. "Can I see her?"  
  
"Sure, go ahead," Fujitaka said as Yukito went and got him some water. Sakura ran down the hallway and into Kaho's room. Sakura immediately stopped to look at her present surroundings. Kaho was alone in the room, except for one nurse who was injecting a painkiller into an IV. The nurse left and smiled at Sakura as they passed each other.  
  
Sakura walked over to the bed and said, "Ms. Mitsuki?"  
  
Kaho opened her eyes and looked over at Sakura, "Hey Sakura," she said hoarsely.  
  
"Hey, you okay?" Sakura asked.  
  
Kaho smiled, "I'm fine."   
  
***  
  
  
"Onii-chan," Sakura peered into her brothers room, no one was there. Sakura smiled and ran back down stairs and outside, "No sign of him." Fujitaka and Kaho got out of the car and walked into the house. They didn't know when Toya was due home, so they had to get inside quickly.  
  
"How long are we going to hide her in my room until we tell Onii-chan?" Sakura asked as she closed her bedroom door. "I feel like I'm hiding a friend that ran away."  
  
"Well, she sort of is," Fujitaka said, and Sakura gave her father a stupid look. "Okay okay, when she wakes up we'll tell Toya."  
  
"I'm home," came Toya's voice and Sakura and her father fell over. Kaho opened the door and walked out and looked down at the people on the floor with a smile.   
  
"Hu?" Toya said as he made it upstairs.  
  
Kaho, Sakura, and Fujitaka split into two rooms and locked them. Sakura and Kaho leaned against the door to keep it closed.  
  
"This isn't going how we planned it," Sakura said.  
  
"Maybe we should just go out there and tell him the truth," Kaho said.  
  
"It may be our only option," Kerberos said.  
  
"I guess you're right," Sakura said and she turned and opened the door. Sakura walked out first, followed by Kerberos, and Kaho was the last to walk out, closing the door behind.   
  
"What the?" Toya said as he stared at the Sun Guardian. "Toya, we have some explaining to do," Sakura said as her father walked out of his room.  
  
"No kidding you do," Toya said.  
  
"Ms. Mitsuki already told us you knew about the Cards, so I don't have to go into that right now, but I do have to explain the second part," Sakura said, "Do you remember Eriol?"  
  
"I think so, the little weird blue haired kid?" Toya asked.  
  
"The very same," Kaho answered.  
  
"He helped me turn my Cards into Sakura Cards," Sakura said, "He's from England, and Ms. Mitsuki was living with him while she was up there studying. "After Eriol left for England, things seemed to by quiet for the longest time. You know Yue and Kero so I don't have to explain them. But I can tell you what happened last night.  
  
"Last night, something attacked me, and it was immune to my magic at first. Then, out of the blue, a wolf attacked it. It brought whatever it was down like it was a little cat and I unleashed the Fiery Card. It burned away and the wolf nearly collapsed. I ran over to help it, but it leapt away. In a flash, the wolf was gone, and Ms. Mitsuki stood in its place." Sakura let Kaho take up the story for a little while.  
  
"I learned to shape-shift to get here," Kaho started. "I came back because of Eriol." Kaho looked at the floor as she crossed her arms under her chest. Fujitaka saw the pain in her eyes and put a comforting hand on her shoulder. Kaho smiled at him gratefully and continued her story, "I was raped in England, and Eriol didn't believe me, so he kicked me out. I traveled to the southern coast of England on foot. It was on that route when I found out I was pregnant. I reached the coast and looked over the water. I had learned to shape-shift only a few days before, but I had no other option. I used multiple different sea creatures to get to Europe, then I traveled on foot or by wind day and night.  
  
"I traveled through Europe and Asia, then made it to the coast of Asia. I knew I was nearly home when I got there, so I made it across the waters in two days. I made it to Japan and flew here in an eagle shape. I knew Sakura was in trouble, so switched to wolf shape and attacked. This all started in January." "Remember the bird that was in my room last night?" Sakura asked and Toya nodded. Sakura smiled up at Kaho, who shifted into the little bird shape. Sakura held out her hand and the little bird landed on it and gave a silly little chirp that made Sakura giggle.  
  
"Huuu?" Toya was completely confused.  
  
Sakura giggled as Kaho fluttered to the ground and shifted out of bird form.   
  
Kaho looked over at Toya with calm eyes, "Any questions?"  
  
"Yeah, do that again, I don't think I got it the first time," Toya said and Kaho crossed her eyes. She looked at him as she shifted into an animal shape. Sakura giggled at the animal and Toya groaned. Kaho grinned and chased Toya down the stairs.  
  
"That's a Collie right Dad?" Sakura asked.  
  
"Yes Sakura, they originated in England, I'm not surprised at her choice," Fujitaka answered as he walked over to the edge of the stairs, where the collie/Kaho sat with a doggy grin on her face. "You do have a sense of humor." Kaho looked up at him as she stood up and shifted out of collie form, "Well, being a dog is fun, that's how I got through so many towns unnoticed."  
  
"Good idea," Sakura said.  
  
***  
  
It was a few weeks later when Sakura answered a phone call. Kaho had stayed with them the whole time, having no place to stay, and not having any luck finding one.  
  
"Hello?" Sakura said into the receiver.  
  
"Sakura? It's Nakuru, you got a minute?" Came Nakuru's voice.  
  
"Hi Nakuru, sure what's up?" Sakura asked as she sat down in the couch.   
  
Fujitaka had heard the name and he and Kaho walked into the room. Fujitaka put her on speakerphone so they could all listen.  
  
"Sakura, Eriol's been a bastard. He sent Kaho away after she told him she had been raped. She stopped by at the back of the house the night she was kicked out and told me she was heading for Japan on foot. I could feel a new power rising in her, and I knew it would help her reach Japan quicker, but I didn't know how long it would take her to get there. I think she may have made it there by now, so could you keep a look out for her, she maybe in real need of it."  
  
"Don't worry about it Nakuru, we understand, right Ms. Mitsuki?" Sakura giggled.  
  
"Right, hey Nakuru, I'm already here and have been here for two weeks," Kaho said.  
  
"Kaho, you're all right thank goodness. I don't have much longer on the phone because I don't know what time Eriol will be back. How did you get there?"  
  
"I learned to shape-shift," Kaho answered.  
  
"Well, that's a skill not even Eriol can do," Nakuru applauded her accomplishment. "Oh, Eriol's home I have to go, take care!"  
  
"Bye Nakuru," Sakura said and turned off the phone, "Well, that was interesting."  
  
"No kidding, someone in that house still cares," Kaho said, "She and I never really got along either, crazier things have happened."  
  
"I'm not surprised," Fujitaka said then he got an evil grin in his eyes, "Sakura, put the phone off the hook so we can re-dial that number, we are going to scare the pants off of our little Eriol." Fujitaka explained his plan, which Sakura and Kaho both enjoyed, then they redialed the number, Eriol answered the phone.  
  
"May I speak to Eriol please?" Sakura asked.  
  
"This is Eriol, may I ask who's calling?" Eriol asked.  
  
"It's Sakura," Sakura said into the receiver.  
  
"Oh, hello Sakura, it's nice to hear from you," Eriol said.  
  
Sakura put him on speakerphone, "It's nice to know you're still alive. Speaking of which, how's Ms. Mitsuki? I heard she was staying with you."  
  
"She was, she left when she told me she was raped," Eriol said with plain discussed, "I didn't believe her. How could I? She had been out late for so many nights, I didn't know what was the truth anymore."  
  
Fujitaka looked over at Kaho.  
  
"I had night classes," Kaho whispered, "I got home late every night. I was raped on that same route."  
  
"Well, just to let you know, she's not going to be speaking to you anymore," Sakura said.  
  
"That's to be expected," Eriol said.  
  
"Or to us, or to anyone," Sakura said.  
  
"Why is that?" Eriol asked.  
  
"Because she's dead you idiot she's dead!" Sakura shouted into the phone. "We found her dying in a field. She had been beaten to death. She stayed alive long enough to tell us her story, then she died. Thanks a lot Eriol, now she's gone. If only you had been a little more understanding and caring, she may have been alive right now! Thanks a lot!"  
  
"Sakura, I didn't know, really," Eriol stuttered.  
  
"My rear end Eriol, she told me you knew, you were just showing your own arrogance," Sakura sneered, "I thought I would just call you and give you that message, good bye!" Sakura turned off the speakerphone with a big grin.  
  
"Nice job Sakura, that will give him something to think about," Fujitaka said.  
  
"That was fun, can I do it again?" Sakura asked and the two adults laughed.  
  
"No, I think Eriol has enough to think about," Kaho said as Kero sat on the remote and turned the TV on. It was a news report on a dude ranch that had been opened for a few months. It was a story about a strange disappearance of a visitor and about how they couldn't find her.  
  
"Hey, I knew that person," Fujitaka said as he frowned at the screen, "I was wondering why she hadn't been showing up at work lately."  
  
"It sounds pretty suspicious," Kero said, "I think we should check it out."  
  
"Why?" Sakura asked.  
  
"It wasn't an accident that that woman was lost, I feel magic involved with this," Kero said, "The same magic I felt with those demons."  
  
"Yeah, I definitely think we need to check this out," Sakura said.  
  
"All right," Fujitaka said, "Coming?" He looked down at Kaho.  
  
"Why not," Kaho said, and they went to pack. 


	3. Chapter 3

Alucard's Familiar: Hello again. I as you might have noticed, I like western things. I like incorporating them into my stories, and it gives them a different twist. Hope you like!  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own CCS, ;p enjoy!  
  
Chapter 3  
  
"So this is it?" Sakura asked.  
  
"Yep," Fujitaka said as he set his pack down and read the entry sign. They had left the car back at the road, and they had to hike it all the way up to the ranch.  
  
"It says here we need our own horse at least," Fujitaka groaned, "Great, came all this way here and we can't even get in."  
  
"I don't think that's true," Sakura giggled as Kaho put her pack down. Fujitaka looked behind him to find a sandy colored mare with a red mane and tail. It neighed playfully.  
  
"I think you have a ride Dad," Sakura laughed.  
  
"Kaho?" Fujitaka was rather confused. The mare snorted and butted his arm in reply. "I guess that means yes, are you sure you don't mind me riding you?" Kaho nodded with a whicker and walked over to the entrance.  
  
"I think you better catch your horse Dad," Sakura said, "I'll stay out here and camp with Kero. You two be careful."  
  
"We will be," Fujitaka said as he ran to catch up with Kaho. "Are you sure this is going to work?"  
  
Pretty sure, no one can hear me but you, Kaho said, so we have no problem with communication.  
  
"I'm guessing you don't want a bit," Fujitaka said.  
  
Please no, but if the people in there question it go ahead.  
  
"You're pretty flexible," Fujitaka said, then regretted it, "Oops."  
  
Very funny, Kaho said, another one of those and I'll kick you.  
  
"I'll be good," Fujitaka said and Kaho tossed her head as she laughed.  
  
"Need some tack?" The person at the counter said as Fujitaka paid for the trail hike.  
  
"Please, but just the saddle gear and a halter and rein," Fujitaka said.  
  
"Don't ya need a bit?" The man asked.  
  
"No, I can guide her with leg pressure," Fujitaka said.  
  
"Right and mi' granny can pull a sledge," the man said as he gave Fujitaka the gear, "hope it know how to steer away from cliffs."  
  
"She does," Fujitaka said as he walked out, "What an ass."  
  
Yeah, he looked like the one I saw in the pen as we walked in, Kaho said and Fujitaka laughed.  
  
"I think the other one looked better," Fujitaka said as he threw the blanket over her back.  
  
"Hey buddy, what's yer horses name again?" The man asked.  
  
"Uhh," Fujitaka looked at Kaho.  
  
Think fast, I don't care what you call me.  
  
"Uh, well, her full name in Red Moons Glowing Beams, but I call her Red Moon for short."  
  
"All right," the man said as he jotted it down on a clipboard and walked back into the registration/tack store.  
  
"Hope you don't mind that, it all kind of ran through my head at once," Fujitaka said.  
  
It's all right, just don't call me by that full name or I'll throw you.  
  
"But it suits you, " Fujitaka said.  
  
Thanks, but don't call me that.  
  
Fujitaka knew if horses could blush Kaho would be as red as her hair. He finished saddling her and headed off towards the trail. They were going to free ride for the time, and then they would hook up with a tour train later.  
  
Think we'll find anything out here? Kaho asked.  
  
"Who knows, I've never been here," Fujitaka said, "I didn't even know this place existed."  
  
"Well, I least I know there will be someone on the tour train later," said a man on a black stallion.  
  
"Yes, and who might you be?" Fujitaka asked.  
  
"The name's Riko," he said, "I'm the tour guide here. I'll be guiding you through the more non-traveled trails."  
  
"I'm looking forward to it," Fujitaka said as Kaho walked closer, pretending to be interested in the stallion. She sniffed at the man and sneezed, he had a sour smell about him.  
  
"Pretty looking mare you got there," Riko said, "What's her name?"  
  
"Uh, Red Moon, her full name is longer, but she kicks me if I say the whole thing," Fujitaka said and Kaho gave a whicker of laughter.  
  
"This idiot that I'm sitting on is named Crafter," Riko said, "He's an idiot in every way, even around pretty mares like you've got." At this very moment, Crafter was trying to get around Kaho, who whipped around and snorted at the stallion. Crafter reared up on his hind legs, nearly dumping his rider. He neighed at Kaho fiercely trying to get her to accept him by force, but Kaho wasn't going for it. She turned and ran as fast as she could.   
  
"You okay?" Fujitaka asked as Kaho slowed down. She was panting fear and panic.  
  
Yeah, I think so, that stallion was intimidating, Kaho said, you know what he was trying to do to me.  
  
"I do, and I'm sorry I kept you in that situation," Fujitaka said, "Next time I'll get out of there faster. That probably brought back some bad memories."  
  
That's why I bolted, Kaho said, all of those memories flashed before me when he did that. Fujitaka felt her shudder under him. Sorry if I nearly threw you.  
  
"It's all right," Fujitaka said, "Come on, let's go look around some more." Kaho trotted down the trail, keeping an eye out for anything unusual.  
  
That guy is following us, Kaho said.  
  
Fujitaka looked back and found the man coming up the trail behind him.  
  
"I wonder why he's following us," Fujitaka said as Kaho sprung into a gallop.  
  
I don't know, but I do know we need to get away from him, Kaho said as she galloped along the path and into the trees. They heard the stallion galloping behind them and Kaho picked up speed. She bolted into the trees and all Fujitaka could do was hold on. He trusted Kaho to get through this; he wasn't going to try to control the reins in this situation. He looked behind him and found the stallion running through the trees like a horse on steroids.   
  
Fujitaka searched around the sides of him, trying to find an escape route. He noticed a river flowing to the right of him and noticed a waterfall at the head of it. He pulled the reins to the right and Kaho went without compliant. She noticed the falls as he had and headed straight for them.  
  
Think there's really a crevice behind that waterfall? Kaho asked as she ran for it. "Let's hope," Fujitaka said as they neared the river. Kaho leapt easily onto the rocks and in behind the waterfall.  
  
Fujitaka got off of Kaho and watched out of a crack in the water to see the rider and stallion run by, completely passing the waterfall. He sighed with relief as he walked back over to Kaho, who was staring into the cave that they were standing at the mouth of. Her ears were back, showing that she wasn't happy about something further back in the cave.  
  
"What's that matter?" Fujitaka asked as put a hand on her back.  
  
There's a sour smell back there, I don't like it, but I can't fit back there to check it out. Kaho said, I can't shift out of this form because Riko might find us, so you're going to have to go back there and see what it is.  
  
Fujitaka smelled the odor that Kaho had for the first time as he walked farther back into the cave and covered his mouth. Sour was right, the back of the cave reeked with death. He ran back to get his flashlight out of one of the saddle bags then walked back to where he had been. He turned on his flashlight and nearly threw up. It was the dead corpse of the missing tourist, and his co-worker.  
  
Fujitaka walked back over to Kaho, who was drinking by the edge of the fall. She looked up when she heard him coming and walked over to him when she saw his sad eyes. She put her head over Fujitaka's shoulder as he wrapped his arms around her neck.  
  
It was her wasn't it? Kaho asked in a low voice. Fujitaka just nodded and Kaho frowned inwardly. She was going to take a big risk, but she knew it would be easier to comfort him this way.  
  
She quickly shifted out of horse form, leaving the saddle and bags to the side as she shifted. In the end, she had her arms wrapped around his neck and his arms wrapped around her waist.  
  
"I'm sorry," Kaho said softly.  
  
Fujitaka noticed then that Kaho had shifted, and he hugged her tighter.   
  
"Well, I guess we've found out where the missing tourist went," Kaho said as she let Fujitaka hug her, "So what are you going to do about it?"  
  
Fujitaka straightened and looked down at her, confusion clear on his face.  
  
"Well, are you going to let these people get away with this or are you going to do something about it?" Kaho gave him a sly glance.  
  
"Do you really think we have a choice?" Fujitaka asked.  
  
"You have a choice in most things," Kaho said, "In this you do. You can leave here and let that death go unnoticed, or get to the bottom of this and possibly save more lives. Which do you choose?"  
  
Fujitaka just looked at her for a moment, then he smiled, "Let's rat on these guys." That made them both laugh, but Fujitaka then got serious, "I'll need help though."  
  
Kaho stepped back with a mischievous smile, "Then you've got it." She shifted back into horse form, gear and all. She whickered playfully as he got on and she ran out of the falls.  
  
"The tour train should be on the move by now," Fujitaka said as Kaho worked her way up a steep trial.  
  
Then let us find them, Kaho said as she darted the rest of the way up the hill. She cleared the hill and ran up the trail. She knew where the train was; she had heard it only a few moments ago, now she just had to find it.  
  
I think I see them, Kaho said as she galloped up the trail. "Just ahead of us?" Fujitaka asked as he squinted to see.  
  
Yep, Kaho jumped up on a cliff side and ran down it as she made her way over to the tour train.  
  
"Jeez, you had to pick a cliff face?" Fujitaka said as he gave up on the reins and wrapped his arms around her neck to hold on.  
  
Here we are, Kaho giggled mischievously as she leapt onto the trail that the train was on.  
  
"Well, it looks like we picked up a tagalong," said Riko from the front of the tour train.   
  
"Sorry I missed the start," Fujitaka said and Kaho snorted with hidden laughter.  
  
"Well, let's carry on," Riko said, "This is the High Mountain trail. It is known for its beauty and good weather, but it is also known for its traitorous heights and hard trails. It takes a skilled rider to journey through these trails alone, but on the tour, you will not be going through the dangerous pathways that others may take. We will be taking the safer ways, but I will be pointing out the trails that you can go on later if you believe that you are skilled enough.  
  
"Come now, let us start the wondrous journey through the High Mountain trail." Riko nudged Crafter into a trot and the others followed, Fujitaka at the end.  
  
"Think we'll find anything?" Fujitaka whispered to Kaho.  
  
I hope, Kaho said, This would have been a real waste of time if we didn't.  
  
***  
  
It had been a long day and now the train was starting to search for a place to camp for the night. They stopped near a lake and let their horses free so they could eat and romp around on their own as the rest of the men set up camp.  
  
"You sure you'll be all right?" Fujitaka asked as he took the halter off Kaho.  
  
I'll be fine, I've had to play this roll before, Kaho said. I've eaten like any other horse, and I'll do it again. It's not so bad.  
  
Fujitaka made a face at the thought of a diet of grass, "Well, just keep away from Crafter, please. I don't even want to think of what would happen if he was successful."  
  
Kaho made a disgusted sound, I'd vomit in this form, and I don't think that's possible. I'll be careful, see ya! She blew into his hair as she trotted off to the lake to get a drink.  
  
Fujitaka shook his head as he walked back over to the rest of the tourists and proceeded to put up his tent. He was about halfway through when Riko came over.  
  
"Hey, I want to apologize for earlier," Riko said, "I'm sorry I couldn't keep Crafter under control and scared your mare. I should have kept a better hold on him."  
  
Fujitaka stood up from where he had been sliding the fiberglass pole through the pocket, "Well, I guess I have to give my horse credit on this one, she sure knows how to get away."  
  
"Yes, it looked like all you were doing was holding on," Riko laughed.  
  
"Yeah well, with a scared horse, I don't think trying to control it is the smartest thing in the world." Fujitaka said as he started with his tent once again. Riko walked away as Fujitaka finished putting up his tent. He threw his belongings into it and walked over to the fire where everyone else was.  
  
"Hey, aren't you the guy with that mare?" One of the men asked.  
  
"Uh, yeah why?" Fujitaka asked.  
  
"Well, just to let you know, most of the horses out there are stallions," said another one of the men. "I think there's one more mare out there, but I'm not sure. If your horse ain't willin' to breed, then she's gonna have a tough time out there tonight."  
  
"Thanks for the warning," Fujitaka said as he heard a horse scream. He stood up to get a better look at which horse it was, but he couldn't make any of them out in the darkness. He wasn't taking any chances, and he ran out into the field, ignoring the other men telling him it would be all right.  
  
Fujitaka got a ways into the field before he got brave enough to call Kaho's name. He called her name twice before he heard a whinny of reply. He heard the thundering of hooves and he looked up the hill to see three horses coming down. He recognized one as Kaho and the other two were stallion, one he knew well, Crafter.  
  
Fujitaka ran to her and jumped onto her back. Riding bareback, Fujitaka held onto Kaho's mane as she ran down the field at an incredible speed.   
  
"Are you all right?" Fujitaka shouted over the thundering of the horse's hooves.  
  
I am for now, but if I don't keep away from these guys I'll be reliving the same nightmare I've been running from for months, Kaho said in panic.  
  
"How can you keep away from them, it's breeding season," Fujitaka said, "I don't know how you control an animals biological clock, but I'm pretty sure it doesn't matter to these guys."  
  
That's the thing, I can't alter it, Kaho said, I've been ignoring it, and believe me it hasn't been easy. Now I'm beginning to really dislike horses.  
  
"Keep running until we think of something," Fujitaka said as they ran by the lake, turning sharply to the right and bypassing the stallions that were in pursuit of them. They ran until they sided a grove of trees.  
  
Fujitaka, I have an idea, and I need you to grabbed one of those tree branches when I run by them.  
  
"What are you going to do?" Fujitaka asked.  
  
You'll see, Kaho said as she neared the trees.  
  
Fujitaka launched himself at a tree and grabbed a branch and swung himself up. He watched Kaho run a little bit farther before she stumbled and fell and lay still on the grass.  
  
Fujitaka didn't know what to do, he didn't know if she was hurt or if she was just bluffing. He would have to wait and see.  
  
The stallions ran up and sniffed at the horse that lay on its side. They walked away a few moments later, seeming to have lost interest in the mare.  
  
Fujitaka leapt down from the tree after the stallions had gone and ran over to Kaho. She sat up as she heard him run up and flicked her tail in amusement. "What happened, you scared me to death," Fujitaka said as he waited for her to stand.  
  
Kaho stood and shook off the grass that had accumulated around her. It was just a little bluff. Stallions only go after mares that are in top health. They leave the sick or injured alone. I just took advantage of that fact and played like I was hurt. They fell for it as you can see. She blew into his hair, Males aren't that smart. She winked at him as she sided him and he jumped on.  
  
"Oh yeah, if males are so stupid then how come I'm the one riding and you're the one running?" Fujitaka asked.  
  
Kaho answered him by rearing up on her back legs and tossing him to the ground. She whinnied in laughter as he sat up. She lowered her head down to look at him. I do believe sir that you are sitting in the mud. Not sitting on your high horse anymore now are we?  
  
"Mares," Fujitaka said as he stood.  
  
Men, Kaho countered as blew his hair and she walked away.  
  
Fujitaka watched her leave and he shook his head. He was an idiot, "Sorry Kaho."  
  
Kaho looked back at him with confusion in the brown eyes of the horse. For what?  
  
"For everything you've gone through," Fujitaka answered. "I would also like to thank you. You've helped me out a lot without any complaint. I owe you a lot." Kaho turned and walked back to him, shifting out of horse form as she went. She watched Fujitaka's face get all confused when she just smiled up at him when she reached him.  
  
"You don't need to be sorry," Kaho said. "And you're welcome. Helping you out has made my life a lot more interesting than it has been. I'm the one who should be thanking you."  
  
Fujitaka smiled as he took her hand in his, "You're welcome." He kissed her hand with a smile and Kaho looked at him in surprise. Fujitaka smiled at her. "I think I know why Sakura decided to stay back there, besides the fact that we only had one horse."  
  
"I think I'm beginning to think that too," Kaho said as she averted her eyes from his. She looked at the ground, blushing.  
  
Fujitaka chuckled, "I'm not sure yet either, but maybe this little adventure will give us the answer." Fujitaka released her hand and started walking back to camp.  
  
Want a ride?  
  
Fujitaka turned back to see the same horse he had been riding the whole day, but this one had a different spark in her eyes.  
  
"As long as you don't throw me," Fujitaka said as he got on and she walked back to the campsite.  
  
***  
  
Alucard's Familiar: Good? Bad? What? Review please! 


	4. Chapter 4

Alucard's Familiar: "Okay, even though very few people like this fic, I'm keeping up with it and determined to show people that the pairing in here works! It's Clow Reed's other half here people! Okay...now that I got that out of my system, here's chapter four!"  
  
Disclaimer: "I own NOTHING!"  
  
Chapter 4  
  
"Everyone ready to go?" Riko asked as they all got on their horses.  
  
  
Most of the group yawned, including Fujitaka. He had kept watch for most of the night, making sure Kaho was left alone. Kaho had finally decided to sleep by his tent, and they both got a little bit of sleep after that, but not much.  
  
"Since no one is complaining, lets head out!" Riko nudged Crafter into a steady trot and led the tour group down the trail. They were led down to the bottom of a ravine where the explored for about two hours.  
  
Fujitaka and Kaho looked for clues to anything that would explain the death of the tourist, but so far they had found nothing. The ravine didn't hold much, just some pools of muddy water and the people that were in it.  
  
They were then guided out of the ravine and out onto a meadow. Most of the tourists let their horse loose while they ate lunch, but Fujitaka and Kaho explored the edges off the meadow. They only found hints of old bloodstains, but they weren't sure from what. Riko came and found them, saying it was time to go.  
  
They were at a red rock canyon when a hell broke loose. The ground started to shake and crack.  
  
"Follow me everyone, there is a cave we will be safe in if we go quickly," Riko said as the shaking stopped for a bit. They all agreed and ran their horses until they caught sight of the cave. They all dismounted and led their horses by the reins. It was then that the shaking started again. The ground started to crumble behind them and they all ran for it.  
  
Fujitaka and Kaho were at the end of the group and were caught up in the crumbling ledge. Kaho lost her footing and was starting to fall over the edge. The only thing keeping her there was Fujitaka pulling on the reins, but they were starting to tear.  
  
"There's enough dust in the air, shift!" Fujitaka shouted and Kaho shifted out of horse form quickly enough to grasp the edges of the cliff before she fell. The next thing she knew, Fujitaka was pulling her up and they both huddled near the wall by their things as the shaking stopped. Kaho then quickly shifted back to a horse as the rest of the tour group found them.  
  
"You're all right," said one, "we were afraid your horse had gone over the edge."  
  
"Na, Red Moon knows how to get out of sticky situations, don't ya girl?" Fujitaka asked. Kaho whickered in reply and the tour group laughed.  
  
"Come on, lets get into the cave where it's safe," Riko said and they all walked into the cave.  
  
Fujitaka immediately didn't like the feeling of the cave, and he could feel Kaho tense up when they walked in as well. All of the horses were tethered in the back of the cave while the rest of the group set up a fire close enough to the exit to let the smoke out. It was there they stayed until nightfall, then things got even more interesting.  
  
-Fujitaka, come here.- Kaho said around the middle of the night.  
  
Fujitaka crawled out of his sleeping bag and was rubbing his eyes when he finally got back to the horses.  
  
"What's wrong?" Fujitaka asked, still half asleep.  
  
-Wake up!- Kaho shouted at him and he startled, waking completely. -Take a look back there, this cave goes back farther than we are led to believe. If I'm right, we can fit through there and leave these guys behind.-  
  
"Think we can do it?" Fujitaka asked.  
  
"Positive," Kaho said, she had shifted back to human form, leaving the saddle and gear to the side, "Grab what you can and let's get out of here. Go get you're sleeping bag."  
  
As Fujitaka ran back to get his sleeping bag he realized that Kaho hadn't had any real sleep for the passed two days. He looked back at her as he rolled up his sleeping bag and found that she showed no sign of weariness at all. He walked back over and picked up the other pack and hooked his sleeping bag onto it.  
  
"Got a flashlight?" Kaho asked as she peered into the darkness.  
  
Fujitaka pulled it out a flashlight and turned it on. The back of the cave went on into a narrow tunnel. They both looked at each other and nodded. This was going to be a long night.  
  
***  
  
"You think this place can get any narrower?" Fujitaka asked as they crawled through the small spaces in the tunnel.  
  
"I really hope not," Kaho said as she followed him. They were tired and a little grumpy. They were cut up and wet from the small stream of water that ran through the tunnel. They had been crawling for a good half hour and now they were hoping for some signs of the tunnel enlarging itself so the could travel in a little more comfort.  
  
"I think it's starting to let up a little," Fujitaka said with a grunt as a rock gouged him in the side. They crawled for a moment longer, then the tunnel opened up into a giant cave with an underground spring. They looked down and found they had at least a 30foot drop to reach the floor of the cave.   
  
"That wouldn't be nice to fall off of," Fujitaka said.  
  
"Nope," Kaho put in as she looked down with a sweat-drop. "How do we get down there?"  
  
"Jump," Fujitaka said as he threw is legs over the side.  
  
"Are you insane?" Kaho asked him.  
  
"If not, I'll probably go insane after this," Fujitaka said as he looked down, then he pushed himself over the edge.  
  
Kaho closed her eyes and heard him thud on the ground, "You all right?" She asked without opening her eyes.  
  
"Yes, I didn't break anything," Fujitaka laughed, "Come on, I'll catch you."  
  
"Catch this," Kaho said as threw her pack at him.  
  
Fujitaka caught her pack and nearly dropped it. He looked up again, but didn't see Kaho up there. He looked around in confusion, but the found a red squirrel climbing down the side of the wall.  
  
"Sakura would be making a lot of funny jokes if she saw you like that," Fujitaka said as Kaho jumped down onto the ground and shifted out of squirrel form.  
  
"That's why she isn't going to see me like that," Kaho said as she took her pack back from Fujitaka. "The exit is that way."  
  
"How do you know?" Fujitaka asked as he followed her.  
  
"I can hear the wind coming from this direction," Kaho said as she walked towards the exit.  
  
"Look at that," Fujitaka pointed to a crack in the wall, only big enough for a human to fit through. They walked over and looked inside.  
  
"Looks like an office of some kind," Kaho said as they walked inside. No one was there so they were able to look around easily. There was a desk made out of stone and a lamp on top of it. There was a closet with nothing in it and that was pretty much it.  
  
"Some one's coming!" Kaho said and they both ducked behind the closet.  
  
"So where do you think they went to?" Came a voice.  
  
"I'm not sure sir," they recognized the voice as Riko's.  
  
"Well find them, they are a little too suspicious," said the same voice. "You say that he never left his horse?"  
  
"Never, he was always with it," Riko said, "When we were in the meadow, he didn't even eat lunch, he just rode around on his horse, it looked like he was looking for something. His horse is amazingly smart as well. It somehow survived that earthquake you made. It was supposed to have fallen over the cliff, but didn't. It even outsmarted Crafter."  
  
"Nothing can outsmart that horse, I know, I created him. He's as smart as any human," the man said. "The only problem he has is in breeding season when he gets sex crazy."  
  
"It is breeding season sir," Riko said.  
  
"What!?" He shouted, "Crafter can't do anything now, except make more horses."  
  
"That's the other strange thing sir, that man's mare had no interest in breeding, and it was surrounded by suitors," Riko said.  
  
"Well, when you find them, I not only want you to kill that man, but take his mare. We will have more Crafters with that one." The man laughed at his plan and Riko just kind of smiled.  
  
"Now, about this new weapon, do you know where we can set it off?" The man asked. "We need to make a successful rockslide so we cover up any kind of evidence."  
  
"I have a place already picked out sir, if you would like to see it?" Riko asked.  
  
"Yes, that would be nice," the man said as he set the weapon down on the desk and followed Riko out. "But first, let me get my hat, I must look the part for your guests." He walked over to the closet and Fujitaka and Kaho tensed up.  
  
Fujitaka wrapped his arms around Kaho's shoulders and pulled her close to him, getting as far behind the closet as they could. Kaho was shaking in fear and Fujitaka couldn't tell if he was or not by how hard she was shaking.  
  
The man opened the closet and pulled out a cowboy hat, "Here we go, I wouldn't want to scare your guests away now would I?" He walked back over to Riko and they walked out of the office.  
  
Fujitaka and Kaho waited for a few moments before pulling themselves out from behind the closet. They were silent for a good few minutes before Fujitaka spoke up.  
  
"So they know what we're doing," Fujitaka said as they both walked over to the desk.  
  
"Yes, and they know how they want to punish us," Kaho shuddered at the thought. "Kill you, and I get raped by a horse. I'd rather die than do that again." She rubbed her arms as if she had a chill before she looked over at the desk.  
  
"So I guess this is the weapon," Fujitaka said as they looked down at it. It looked like a regular rocket you would let off on a holiday, but this one gave something away. It was black, and it had blades on it, as though it were to slice into rock. Fujitaka took pictures of the office and the weapon before they did anything else.  
  
"Well we can't leave it here can we?" Kaho asked as she opened her pack. "It needs to be lit in order for it to be let off, so I think it would be safe in my backpack."  
  
"Get it and lets go, I don't want to stay in here any longer," Fujitaka said as he walked over to the exit and peered out. "It's all clear, lets go."  
  
They emerged from the cave about an hour later. The sun was high in the sky so they knew it was around mid-day.  
  
  
"So what do you want to do?" Kaho asked.  
  
"Find the rest of those tourists, they have to get out of here before all hell break loose," Fujitaka said.  
  
"Need a ride?" Kaho asked.  
  
"Aren't you tired of shifting," Fujitaka asked as he took her pack.  
  
"I'm exhausted, but we have too much to do, I can't stop now," Kaho said before she shifted. -You think you can ride bareback the whole time?-  
  
"I'll have to," Fujitaka said as he tied the pack together and threw them over the side of her, one on either side to even the weight. He got on after that and held onto her mane. "Okay, let's move out!"  
  
Kaho took off with a burst of speed, nearly throwing Fujitaka and he yelled like an idiot. Kaho laughed as she slowed a little, she liked playing with him.  
  
"Trying to kill me?" Fujitaka asked as they rode down the trail.  
  
-Who would you like to be killed by, me? Or that asshole guy who wants to shoot you?-  
  
"Wooo, I don't think I want either," Fujitaka said and Kaho laughed. "Do you have any idea where they are?"  
  
-Yes, I'm following Crafter's scent, it's all over this place,- Kaho said.   
  
"Ew, that has to stink," Fujitaka said.  
  
-No joke, he stinks,- Kaho snickered as she trotted up the trial. -I think they're at that ravine we were at yesterday.-  
  
"Then lets get there," Fujitaka said.  
  
-All right, hold on!- Kaho said as she sprung into a swift gallop down the trail.  
  
***  
  
"There they are," Fujitaka said as they reached the ridge. Riko and the tourists were down in the ravine, along with the man.  
  
-Ready to create some chaos?- Kaho asked as she turned her head to look at him.  
  
"Let's go," Fujitaka said and Kaho sprinted down the side of the ravine.  
  
"Hey look, it's Fujitaka!" Said one of the tourists.  
  
"Hey he's back," said another as Fujitaka rounded the side of them.  
  
Fujitaka eyed the man he had heard talking with Riko who was glaring at him now.  
  
"Welcome back Fujitaka, did you enjoy your little adventure?" Riko asked as he edged Crafter closer.  
  
"Very much," Fujitaka hissed poisonously.  
  
"And what may I ask did you find on your little adventure?" Riko asked.  
  
"Your dirty scheme," Fujitaka said.  
  
"What!" Said the man. "How do you know about that?"  
  
"You need better security," Fujitaka said as Kaho started to edge backwards.   
  
"You were in my office!" He shouted.  
  
"Yep, and we found so many interesting things while we were in there," Fujitaka said.  
  
"We?" Riko said.  
  
"You heard me, and we found one thing that may interest you a lot," Fujitaka said as he pulled out the bomb.  
  
"You thief!" The man shouted.  
  
"Oh I'm thief am I?" Fujitaka asked, "Well then I get to call you a murderer."  
  
"What!" The man shouted.  
  
"You killed that last tourist," Fujitaka said, "I know, we found her behind that waterfall."  
  
"I thought you said you had gotten rid of that body?" The man hissed at Riko  
  
"Everyone, these men are out to kill, get out of here while you still can," Fujitaka said, "Run now!" The tourists ran for the exit of the ravine.  
  
"Kill him!" The man shouted and Riko pulled out a gun.  
  
"Run Kaho now!" Fujitaka said and Kaho bolted away. They heard the gun being fired and bullets whizzed passed them. Kaho started going in a zigzag pattern to avoid the bullets and confuse Riko. They heard hoof beats behind them and they knew they were being followed.  
  
"How long can you run like this?" Fujitaka asked.  
  
-Not long,- Kaho said. -If I wasn't as tired I may have been able to go on longer, but not as long as I wish to. I'll try and get us out of the ravine.-  
  
Fujitaka looked behind him to see Riko closing the gap. Kaho was slowing and Fujitaka knew they weren't going to make it if they had to turn. He looked ahead of him, but found the wall too steep to climb, unless.  
  
"Kaho, can you run that wall?" Fujitaka asked.  
  
-I think so,- Kaho answered as they got closer to the wall. She put on a burst of speed and leapt on a ledge on the side of the wall. She ran and leapt to each ledge she could find, then leapt out of the ravine. They looked down to see a very confused Riko and an angry boss.   
  
"Let's get out of here," Fujitaka said.  
  
Kaho whickered a reply and turned and started walking away. They walked in silence for almost an hour, concealing themselves in the forest area near the ravine. They were heading towards the exit. They were done with this place.  
  
"You all right?" Fujitaka asked as they walked through the forest. Kaho whickered a reply and Fujitaka knew the answer. She was exhausted. He shook his head and stopped her by pulling on her mane. Kaho stopped and looked up at him as he got off and took both of the packs.  
  
"Shift out," Fujitaka said as slung both packs over his shoulder. In a moment, Kaho stood beside him offering to take her pack.  
  
Fujitaka shook his head as he wrapped an arm around her shoulders, "I'll carry it, lets just get out of here." Kaho nodded in silence and let him keep his arm around her.  
  
"You think they'll find us?" Kaho asked as they walked.  
  
"They're expecting someone on a horse," Fujitaka said, "I'm not on a horse, I'm walking, so they may miss us."  
  
"What if they spot us?" Kaho asked.  
  
"Well, it's all on you," Fujitaka said, "If you can shift back into a horse then we run like hell and try and loose them. If we can't do that, then we run like hell on foot and try to loose them. How's that sound?"  
  
"As long as I get to be carried," Kaho joked and they both laughed.  
  
"Thank you, you've done more than your share of the work since we got here, I owe you." Fujitaka smiled down at her. He was getting impossibly close to this woman and he didn't know if it was a good thing or a bad thing.  
  
"I'm not sure either," Kaho said, almost reading his thoughts.  
  
"Maybe what I said back on the field was true," Fujitaka said with a smile.  
  
"Maybe," Kaho said with a bit of hesitation. She looked up at Fujitaka with a questioning look. He smiled at her and she smiled back, putting her hand over the one that rested on her shoulder.  
  
They looked up when they heard hoof beats and Kaho shifted back into a horse. Fujitaka got on and they ran as fast they could. They watched Crafter come up beside them and Kaho growled displeasure in her throat.  
  
"Well Fujitaka, I believe you're getting slow," Riko said as he threw a rope around him and pulled him off his horse.  
  
-Fujitaka!- Kaho shouted as she stopped and tried to run over to him. A rope was thrown over her head and it wrapped around her neck. She thrashed at the rope, trying to break it, but it held fast. The man laughed as he walked his horse over to her.  
  
"Well, you truly are a pretty one," the man said, "I see why Crafter likes you so much. And now he will have you."  
  
Kaho whinnied in rage and pulled at the ropes.  
  
"Who are you anyways?" Fujitaka asked as he rolled to his knees.  
  
"My name is Saikoro," the man answered, "and now you are my prisoners." He laughed evilly as Fujitaka glared at him. Riko hit him over the head with something hard and he was knocked out.  
  
***  
  
"Wake up Fujitaka, you're going to miss the show," came Saikoro's voice with an evil laugh.  
  
Fujitaka opened his eyes and they focused on Kaho, who legs were tied to wooden steaks that were driven into the ground. Her head was tied in a similar way, down in a submissive position.   
  
Fujitaka looked to his right and found Riko holding Crafter away from Kaho a little ways.  
  
"We thought you might enjoy watching this before we killed you," Saikoro said, "Some entertainment before you die."  
  
Fujitaka fought the binds at his arms and feet, trying to get to Kaho, but it was no use. The ropes were tied tightly. "No, Red Moon, no!"  
  
"Red Moon eh?" Saikoro asked, "Well, maybe dear Red Moon will be so kind as to give me a Dark Moon after this is over. Let him go Riko."  
  
Riko released Crafter, who headed straight for Kaho. Kaho screamed in rage and fought the bindings that held her, but came to no avail. Crafter nickered in satisfaction as he mounted her.  
  
Fujitaka sat there in horror. He couldn't believe he had let this happen. This was his fault and now he couldn't do anything about it. I'm sorry Kaho, he thought, I didn't want this to happen to you.  
  
In an instant, Kaho got one back leg free and she kicked Crafter as hard as she could. That knocked him off and Kaho pulled herself free from the ropes.  
  
"Run!" Fujitaka shouted, "Run and don't look back!"  
  
Kaho grabbed the pack that held the bomb and ran away as fast as she could.  
  
Fujitaka looked up at an angry Saikoro, "Looks like she slipped away."  
  
Saikoro pulled out a gun, "Now you die."  
  
***  
  
Kaho ran as fast as she could. No matter how far she ran, she felt she wasn't far enough away. She finally stopped at the waterfall and hid behind it. She dropped the pack and shifted out of horse form. She sat down on the ground and pulled her knees up to her chest. She sat there and cried for a while, crying for Fujitaka, who was probably dead by now. She cried for Sakura because she now had no parents, and for herself because she hadn't been quick enough to protect Fujitaka and herself from danger.  
  
She finally stopped crying and pulled her pack over. She made sure the bomb was still safely tucked away before she pulled out her flashlight. She walked into the back of the cave, avoided the dead body and looked around. She was hoping to find one thing in particular, and she did. She found a rifle a few feet away from the body and she picked it up. It had on shot left, and she would have to make it count. She used the butt of the gun to loosen some rocks, causing them to fall over the dead body, covering it completely, and covering up the odor at the same time. Now the cave was inhabitable.   
  
She walked back to her pack and put the flashlight away. She then pulled on her pack and walked out from behind the waterfall and back towards where she knew they would be. She would get her revenge, one way or another.  
  
***  
  
Alucard's Familiar: "Okay, a lot happened really fast, sorry if that confused anyone. I hope you liked and please review!" 


	5. Chapter 5

Alucard's Familiar: "Hi people, I'm glad at least one person is sticking with this fic, and I am posting it for them. Again, this is another LONG chapter. I have a bad habit of writing long things, so bare with me. *Grins* Enjoy! Oh yeah, I own nothing...  
  
Chapter 5  
  
Kaho looked down from the ledge where she sat over looking the forest floor. She had a clear shot of Riko, but she wanted Saikoro, and she doubted she would get him. She looked around, and found Fujitaka leaning up against the side up the mountain. He looked to be alive, but Kaho wasn't sure.  
  
  
If he's dead, Kaho thought, I don't know what I would do. How could I tell Sakura I got her father killed? Please still be alive Fujitaka... please, I... please be alive. She listened to the conversation they were having, rage growing in her body every second.  
  
  
"So, when do you think would be a good time to finish him off boss?" Riko asked.  
  
  
"In a little while Riko, let him suffer a while, and wait and see if Crafter finds that other horse. She's got the bomb, and we need that before we can do anything else."  
  
  
Kaho was shaking in rage. She pulled out the rifle and aimed it at Riko. She had to make this shot count, if she missed, she was dead. She aimed carefully, then pulled the trigger.   
  
  
Riko was down, a bullet through the back of the neck, and Saikoro got the same bullet embedded into his shoulder. He fled to tend to his wounds and Kaho shifted to a bird form after shoving her pack over the edge of the cliff side. She flew down to Fujitaka side and shifted out of the raven form.  
  
  
"Fujitaka, please wake up, please," Kaho shook him gently and he raised his head to look up at her. He looked to have been beaten hard, but not dead. "You're alive." She said with relief.  
  
  
Fujitaka smiled a little at her, "Just barely."  
  
  
Kaho untied the ropes and shifted into horse form. She lowered herself down so he could get the packs on her back and painfully climb on, then she ran as fast as she could back to the waterfall, then only place she knew to hide.  
  
  
"You came back," Fujitaka said as she ran.  
  
  
-Of course I did, why wouldn't I?- Kaho asked.  
  
  
"I thought you would be too scared to come back," Fujitaka said as he leaned on her neck for support, in too much pain to sit up.  
  
  
-No,- Kaho said softly, -Just the thought of you dead gave me enough courage to do anything. Even shoot Riko, which I did.-  
  
  
"I thought I had heard a gunshot," Fujitaka said painfully and Kaho slowed to a smooth canter so she wouldn't hurt him. "So Riko got what he deserved. I'm glad you got your revenge."  
  
  
-He's not the one I want revenge on,- Kaho said, -I'm glad he's dead, but Crafter is my target.-  
  
  
"That reminds me, what's going to happen to you now?" Fujitaka asked, "I mean he was..."  
  
  
-Shhh, we'll talk later,- Kaho interrupted, -you need some rest first.- She walked behind the waterfall and lowered herself down so Fujitaka could get off. She then shifted out of horse form and rolled out his sleeping bag. She got him into his sleeping bag and she sat down next to him.  
  
  
"You keep helping me and yet I have done nothing for you in return," Fujitaka smiled up at her, "Who taught you to be such a kind person?"  
  
  
"My father," Kaho said, "but I have not always been so kind."  
  
  
"If this is about Toya, you should put it behind you," Fujitaka said. "He's got Yukito and he's happy with him. If you're worried about how you broke up with him, don't. He is happy with who he has, and considers you a friend, like you and he intended to be."  
  
  
That broke down the last shield Kaho had over her heart. That was the only thing she had been nervous about with him, and now that she knew he wasn't angry with her about it, she had no more fears for him.  
  
  
Kaho took his hand in both of hers and looked down at him, "Let me help with what they have done to you."  
  
  
"What?" Fujitaka asked as he watched Kaho close her eyes and start to glow a faint white. He felt all of the pain he had instantly go away and he watched a bruise on his hand disappear. She was healing him. It only took a few moments, and when Kaho opened her eyes again, she looked down at Fujitaka and she saw that he looked a lot more comfortable.  
  
  
"You'll be sore for a few days," Kaho said as she released his hand.  
  
  
"Thank you," Fujitaka said as he sat up and looked at his hands, they were one of the things that had gotten beaten pretty badly by Crafters hooves, but now they were completely healed, as if it had never happened. "I owe you my life, a thousand times over I owe you my life."  
  
  
"What are friends for?" Kaho asked as smiled at him.  
  
  
Fujitaka smiled, "I think we are more than friends."  
  
  
Kaho returned the smile, "I think you're right."  
  
  
"About what I said earlier, about you and Crafter, what's going to happen?" Fujitaka asked.  
  
  
"I'm not sure," Kaho said, "He didn't completely finish his task so I may be in the clear. But if he was successful, every time I shift to horse form, I'll be pregnant until the very end."  
  
  
"Then what will happen?" Fujitaka asked.  
  
  
"I'll have a foal to take care of," Kaho made a face.  
  
  
"What would happen if you just stayed away from the horse form all together?" Fujitaka asked.  
  
  
"I'll get really sick until I decide to shift back to a horse, and, well..." Kaho left her sentence at that.  
  
  
Fujitaka frowned as he looked at her. Life wasn't going to be easy for Kaho. So he was going to be the best man he could for her. He leaned over and wrapped his arms around her. Kaho wrapped her arms around him and hugged him tightly. He could hear her sobbing after a while and he rubbed her back in sympathy.  
  
  
"I'm sorry Kaho," Fujitaka said, "I'm sorry this is all happening to you." Kaho said nothing, she just sat in his arms, content with just being there with him. Fujitaka didn't know if what he was about to do was right, but he decided to go with it, hoping he wouldn't be shot down. "I love you Kaho Mitsuki."  
  
  
Kaho flinched in his arms and pulled away. She looked up at him with glassy amber eyes with a questioning look. Had she heard him right? "What?"  
  
  
"I love you Kaho, now, and always," Fujitaka said confidently.  
  
  
Kaho just looked at him. Was he telling the truth, or was he just playing with her? His facial expression looked sincere, but she wasn't sure. "What would Sakura and Toya think of you saying that?"  
  
  
"Well, Sakura seems very fond of you," Fujitaka said, "and Toya's not going to be at home much soon so he doesn't have any say in the matter."  
  
  
"Are you sure about this," Kaho said as she looked away from him, "Forgive me for being unbelieving, but I've had enough experience with men to know that I need to watch myself. I have nothing against you, I just don't want my heart broken again."  
  
  
Fujitaka put his hands on her shoulders, "I understand. Men haven't been the greatest to you, but I'm not trying to deceive you. Everything I'm saying is coming straight from my heart. If any of this comes out in the future as a lie may you shoot me with that rifle and leave me to bleed to death. I love you Kaho."  
  
  
That did it. Kaho threw her arms around him and hugged him tightly, unable to do anything else. Finally, after all of her years of searching, her wish had finally come true. She was no longer alone in the world. She had someone who loved her, and now she had a reason to live, even if it meant raising a foal. "I love you too."  
  
  
Fujitaka hugged her tightly until she squeaked, which made him laugh because he didn't think she was capable of making that noise. Then he realized something. "What happened to that body?"  
  
  
"I covered it in rocks while I hid here," Kaho said without letting him go. "I knew we would be using this place as a hideout and leaving that there wouldn't make it too usable."  
  
  
"Smart thinking," Fujitaka said as he looked at him watch. It was about 5:00 in the afternoon and in the spring it was amazingly warm in the cave. "Maybe we should get some sleep, I think we're going to have a long couple of nights, I'll take first watch." Kaho went to protest but Fujitaka stopped her by putting a finger to her lips. "You haven't had any real sleep for the passed two days, you get some sleep."  
  
  
Kaho gave in and pulled out her sleeping bag and unrolled it. She was asleep the instant she laid down and Fujitaka smiled from where he sat next to her.  
  
  
Fujitaka started to wonder what would happen if Crafter had succeeded in getting her pregnant with a foal. He had only a little knowledge about horses, but nothing about their gestation period or birthing process. Maybe Kaho knew. She had lived in England for a few years and horses were popular there, maybe she had learned about it. He really hoped so, or they all would have to be getting to the library soon.  
  
Fujitaka then remembered that he had his cell phone and that Sakura had hers. He quickly pulled his pack over and rummaged through it until he found his phone. He dialed Sakura's number and listened to it ring until Sakura answered it.  
  
  
"Hello?" Came Sakura's voice.  
  
  
"Hey Sakura, it's your Dad," Fujitaka said.  
  
  
"Where have you been? I've been waiting for you to call for the passed two days," Sakura scolded.  
  
  
"Well, we've been rather busy," Fujitaka said as he got up and walked farther back into the cave to let Kaho sleep.  
  
  
"What have you been doing?" Sakura asked.  
  
  
"Well, we found that tourist," Fujitaka said, "unfortunately not alive. We found the creeps who killed her and the new weapon they were going to use to kill more people. Now they're after us and we're in hiding.  
  
  
"Whoa, how are you guys holding up?" Sakura asked.  
  
  
"We're doing all right," Fujitaka said, "I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for Kaho. I owe her a lot. So what have you been doing?"  
  
  
"Oh nothing, just puttering around camp wondering if you guys were still alive and waiting for you to call," Sakura said.  
  
  
"Point taken," Fujitaka said. "We should be outta here by tomorrow or by the day after at the latest."  
  
  
"I have enough food to last me at least two more days," Sakura said, "Probably more if I can keep Kero out of it. How are you guys doing on food?"  
  
  
"We haven't eaten much," Fujitaka said, "Scratch that, I've had a little to eat and Kaho has had nothing. We've been on the go. It's either running from an earthquake or bullets. Or in Kaho's case, stallions."  
  
  
"Oh no, what happened?" Sakura asked.  
  
  
"I'll explain later, don't worry about it now," Fujitaka said. "By the way, we figured out why you didn't make a fuss when Kaho and I were the only ones who were going to be able to get in here."  
  
  
"Uh-oh," Sakura said. "Dad please, let me explain, I just thought you guys made a cute couple, please don't be mad."  
  
  
"I think you were right," Fujitaka interrupted her babble.  
  
  
"I-what?" Sakura asked.  
  
  
"I think we do make a good couple," Fujitaka said.  
  
  
"All right, yes yes yes!" Sakura shouted.  
  
  
"I better let you go Sakura," Fujitaka said.  
  
  
"Okay, bye Dad," Sakura said and she hung up, but Fujitaka swore he heard her muttering something before she hung up. He looked over at Kaho and found her awake, arms behind her head and staring at the roof of the cave.  
  
  
"I thought you were sleeping?" Fujitaka said as he walked over.  
  
  
"Too much on my mind," Kaho said as she sat up.  
  
  
"Same here," Fujitaka said as he sat next to her.  
  
  
"You think we're going to get out of here alive?" Kaho asked.  
  
  
"I hope so," Fujitaka said, "With what we've been up against, I'm not sure anymore."  
  
  
"Neither am I," Kaho said as Fujitaka wrapped an arm around her shoulder and she leaned against him.  
  
  
"What if they find us?" Fujitaka asked.  
  
  
"I doubt we'll be found," Kaho said, "Riko's dead and I got the same bullet in Saikoro's shoulder. He'll be hiding for a while and I took too many different ways for Crafter to find us."  
  
  
"So we're safe here?" Fujitaka asked.  
  
  
"We should be," Kaho said as she looked up at him with a smiled.  
  
  
Fujitaka smiled down at her as he brush her hair back from her face. He stroked her cheek and Kaho put her hand on top of his. She released his hand a moment later and Fujitaka tilted her head up to look at him. He then slowly leaned down and kissed her for the first time. Lightly at first, then harder as Kaho kissed him back. Kaho laid back when Fujitaka came closer, still kissing, lost in their own world for the moment.  
  
  
They parted moments later and their eyes widened as they looked at each other. Fujitaka pulled away quickly as Kaho sat up and turned away from him.  
  
  
"Sorry," Fujitaka said.  
  
  
"It's my fault I shouldn't have gone with it," Kaho said.  
  
  
"It's my fault, I shouldn't have brought it on in the first place, I'm sorry," he apologized as he stood up and walked over to the mouth of the cave. He looked between the falling water to find nothing out there. They were still safe.  
  
  
He walked back over to his sleeping bag, which was right next to Kaho's and sat down, not facing her. They both had their heads down.  
  
  
"So, what were you talking to Sakura about?" Kaho asked, trying to start a light conversation.  
  
  
"Just informing her about what had happened," Fujitaka answered, they still kept their heads down. "She got after me for not calling sooner."  
  
  
"I don't blame her," Kaho said, "leaving her out there without knowing what had happened to us. For all she could have known we could have been dead and she would have found out the hard way."  
  
  
"Yeah, I know, that's why I called her," Fujitaka said, "I also got her to spill that she had in fact not gone with us on purpose. My assumption had been right."  
  
  
"And what did you tell her?" Kaho asked.  
  
  
"Uh, well," Fujitaka stuttered.  
  
  
"What did you tell her Fujitaka?" Kaho raised her head to look at him.  
  
  
"Well, I answered her question in one of her statements," Fujitaka blushed.  
  
  
"And that was?" Kaho pressed.  
  
  
Fujitaka mumbled something and Kaho scowled. She was going to get it out of him one way or another. She wrapped her arms around his shoulders and rested her chin on his right shoulder. "I didn't hear you," she breathed into his ear with a giggle.  
  
  
"We made a cute couple," Fujitaka spilled.  
  
  
"And what did she say when you told her that?" Kaho asked as she let him go and sat back on her sleeping bag.  
  
  
"She was um, rather pleased," Fujitaka stole a glance at her.  
  
  
Kaho snickered as she laid back down on top of her sleeping bag. "Good."  
  
  
Fujitaka looked down at her, "You're not mad?"  
  
  
"Why should I be?" Kaho asked.  
  
  
"Well, um, well, you know why," Fujitaka said.  
  
  
"About what we almost just did?" Kaho asked and Fujitaka nodded. "I'm not mad about that, probably more embarrassed than anything."  
  
  
"Embarrassed? I'm completely ashamed of myself," Fujitaka said and they both laughed, breaking the ice between them once again.  
  
  
"Why, cause you almost let yourself get carried away?" Kaho teased.  
  
  
"Yes," Fujitaka answered. "I'm surprised you're not mad at me."  
  
  
"No," Kaho said as she stared at the ceiling.  
  
  
"Would you have minded?" Fujitaka asked.  
  
  
"No," Kaho answered without hesitation and they both broke down into giggles.   
  
Fujitaka turned back to look at her and she smiled up at him. He crawled over to her and leaned down and kissed her again. Kaho wrapped her arms around the back of his neck and pulled him down on top of her. He kissed her until they were out of breath then they just laid there looking at each other for the longest time.  
  
Fujitaka then laid his head on her chest and listened to her heartbeat and Kaho held him in her arms. It was starting to get dark in the cave and they started hearing sounds of the night. Mostly crickets but they heard things come and go from the riverbanks through the falling water every so often.  
  
At first Fujitaka thought she had gone to sleep, but when he pushed himself up off of her to look at her, she opened her eyes and smiled up at him. Her amber eyes seemed to glow in the darkness. He smiled down at her and kissed her softly. Every muscle in Kaho's body seemed to relax after that and Fujitaka looked down at her.  
  
"You sure?" He asked and Kaho nodded. He kissed her again and she gave herself up to him.  
  
***  
  
They were up early the next morning, Kaho was galloping at full speed towards the exit of the ranch. They knew it wouldn't be easy trying to get out, so they wanted to try and get a head start on them.  
  
Kaho seemed to a have a new spring in her step, but Fujitaka didn't say anything about it. They ran through the forested area, passed Riko's body and down into the ravine. They knew Saikoro may have been waiting for them down there, but they had no choice but to go down there, it was their only way out.  
  
"Well, I see Crafter didn't find you," Saikoro's voice echoed through the canyon and Kaho picked up speed. "I will have what so rightfully belongs to me Fujitaka," Saikoro said, "and not only the bomb."  
  
"What else do you want from us Saikoro?" Fujitaka shouted into the wind.  
  
"I know the power that you wield, I can feel it radiating from you every second."  
  
"He doesn't know the half of it," Fujitaka whispered to Kaho.  
  
-Let him think that,- Kaho said, -It will give him more of a surprise later-  
  
They ran to the mouth of the ravine and were surprised to see a rockslide was rolling through it.  
  
-Hold on,- Kaho said as she neared to exit. Rocks flew at her and Kaho dodged them right and left. She leapt onto some and skirted others. Rocks hit her on the side and some hit Fujitaka as well, but Kaho avoided most of them and soon they were out of the ravine.  
  
"Are you all right?" Fujitaka shouted down to her. Kaho whinnied a yes and started running down the trail towards the exit.  
  
"You won't get away from me that easily," Saikoro said as the trail started to crack and crumble. Kaho leapt off the trail and ran through the forest. She followed the river back to the entryway of the ranch. Kaho stopped there and Fujitaka got off and pulled out the bomb.  
  
"The only thing this baby's going to do is blow this place sky high," Fujitaka said as he lit it and threw it into the forest. They heard it rocket off as Fujitaka climbed back onto Kaho's back and she ran for the exit.  
  
They were out of there in ten seconds flat and were running to the small forested area outside the ranch when the bomb finally went off.  
  
"You wanted your bomb back Saikoro, you got it," Fujitaka said as they ran.  
  
-Literally,- Kaho said and they both laughed.  
  
"Shift out, we can both walk the rest of the way," Fujitaka said as he stopped Kaho. She shifted back into a human and took her pack from Fujitaka. "Do you know where Sakura is?" He asked.  
  
Kaho looked around, "That way, it's the only huge pink aura I can see."  
  
"Pink aura?" Fujitaka thought as he wrapped his arm around Kaho's shoulders and started walking, "Yep, that sounds like Sakura."  
  
"What do you think she's going to do when she sees us?" Kaho asked.  
  
"Either throw something at us, or hug us until she suffocates us. Maybe both," Fujitaka answered.  
  
"So one way or another we're getting our necks rung?" Kaho asked and Fujitaka nodded with a laugh.  
  
"Do I hear a radio?" Fujitaka asked as he stopped walking.  
  
"I hear it," Kaho said, "It's probably Sakura's. I think were close enough, we can probably yell her name and she'll here us."  
  
"Then lets try," Fujitaka said and they both called out Sakura's name. They heard the song fade a bit as the volume was lowered and the adults laughed and called her name again, but this time it was intertwined with giggles.  
  
Sakura appeared through the trees and a smile appeared on her face when she saw them. "Dad! You're okay." Her smile broadened when she saw her matchmaking had worked. She ran towards them and hugged her father tightly when she got to him.  
  
"Dad, you're all right," Sakura said as she hugged her father.  
  
"Of course I am," Fujitaka said, "thanks to Kaho."  
  
"What happened?" Sakura asked, "he wouldn't tell me last night."  
  
Kaho looked over at Fujitaka, wondering who should explain. Fujitaka agreed to explain when they got back to camp and Sakura agreed she could wait until then.  
  
Sakura walked back to where she had set up camp, a clearing in the middle of the forest. It was begin enough for at least a dozen people, but Sakura had used only a small corner of it.  
  
"Nice spot," Fujitaka commented as he set his pack down near the fire and sat down, just now becoming aware of sore and pulled muscles. Kaho sat next to him and Sakura sat on the opposite side of the fire so she could face them.  
  
"Okay, explanation," Sakura said and Fujitaka sighed.  
  
"All right Sakura," Fujitaka said, "I'll explain why I owe Kaho my life, but that's it. We'll explain the rest when we get home." Sakura nodded and Fujitaka began. "There were two men involved in this, one was Riko and the other was Saikoro.  
  
"Riko made himself out to be the ranch's tour guide, but what he was really doing was leading people to their deaths. Kaho and I managed to sneak away from him two nights ago and we followed a cave tunnel to get out and found Saikoro's office. We were searching it for clues when we heard them coming back. We hid behind a closet and listened to their conversation.  
  
"They were going to set off a bomb that very next day on the ravine we had been in. Riko was going to show him the location and they left. We came out from where we were hiding and snatched the bomb off of his desk. After that, we got out of the cave and went after them.  
  
"We made it to the ravine just as Riko was showing him the spot. The tour group was with him and we revealed their whole plan in front of them. We showed them that we had the bomb and they went berserk. The tourists ran and we ran from Riko and Saikoro, dodging bullets along the way.  
  
"We managed to escape them for a while, but they found us again as we were trying to hide in the forest. They captured us both, and then I was knocked out for a while." Now came the part that Fujitaka dreaded telling and he looked over at Kaho, "Should I tell her this?"  
  
"The story wouldn't make sense if you didn't," Kaho said as she looked at the ground.  
  
Fujitaka sighed and looked over at Sakura, "This doesn't leave your mouth to anyone, not even Tomoyo, got it?" Sakura nodded and Fujitaka went on, "I woke up to find Kaho tied up in such a way as a mare would look... willing to a stallion. Crafter, Riko's horse, had been after Kaho for days, and now he... had her." He cleared his throat in embarrassment and Kaho pulled her knees up to her chest and rested her head on her knees.  
  
"I tried to get free to get her out of there, but I wasn't able to," Fujitaka continued, "Kaho finally got herself free enough to kick Crafter, which knocked him off. Kaho pulled herself completely free and I told her to run. She did, taking her pack with the bomb in it with her.  
  
"Saikoro was so mad that he and Riko beat me until I was nearly dead. Some time passed as I sat against the wall of the mountain, trying to stay awake. I swore I heard a gun go off, but I wasn't sure. The next thing I knew a backpack landed next to me and a raven floated down to me. Kaho shifted out of that and untied me, then shifted into horse form and I somehow got the packs and myself on her before she ran back to the cave that I called you in. I'm going to let Kaho take it for a minute because most of the next part is one big blur."  
  
Kaho looked up Fujitaka then over at Sakura, "I got him off of me and shifted out of horse form and I rolled out his sleeping bag and got him in it. He was hurt, badly, and I didn't know what to do. I don't know if he remembers doing this, but he asked me who taught me to be such a kind person for helping him. I told him my father had, but then I said I hadn't always been so kind." Kaho looked over at Fujitaka.  
  
"I remember this part," Fujitaka said, "We discussed the incident about Toya and smoothed everything out. I don't know what that did, but the next thing I knew she was glowing white and all of my injuries were healing. She finished healing me and told me I would be sore for couple of days, and she was right." Fujitaka stretched and groaned to make his point. "And that's pretty much why I now have string around my next and she pulls me around like a dog."  
  
"I do not," Kaho said flatly and Fujitaka laughed.  
  
"She right she doesn't," Fujitaka said, "and she hasn't said a thing about it." Fujitaka wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her over to him. "By the way, like I told you on the phone, you're matchmaking worked."  
  
Sakura jumped up and whooped for joy. Kero popped out of her backpack and wondered what all the hollering was about. Sakura picked him up and swung him around by his little arms shouted her matchmaking had worked.  
  
"Ahh, Sakura stop put me down," Kero shouted. "I'm glad it worked but you're going to kill me!"  
  
"Sorry Kero," Sakura said as she stopped spinning him and hugged him gently. She looked back over at the two adults with one particular question. She sat down where she had before and looked at them, "What about the incident with Crafter?"  
  
Kaho got up stiffly and walked over to the other side of the clearing.  
  
Fujitaka watched her leave and understood why she had left. He turned back and looked at Sakura and Kaho disappeared behind some trees. She hadn't had a chance to let her emotions run their course and now they were probably coming in one big rush.  
  
"To put it plainly Sakura, if it worked, we'll have a foal to take care of, if not, than we're home free. I'll get into more detail with that later all right?"  
  
"Okay," Sakura said, then she looked up quickly as she felt an amazing power level start to rise.  
  
"Sakura, do you feel that?" Kero asked.  
  
"Yeah, who is it?" Sakura asked as she tried to locate the source of power. It was hard to locate because the energy level kept wavering and darting in different directions. Then they heard something shatter from Kaho's direction and Fujitaka darted over, Sakura a few yards behind him.  
  
Fujitaka found Kaho standing near a shattered rock, panting. Dust was everywhere and Fujitaka coughed as he inhaled dust, but it didn't seem to affect Kaho.  
  
Sakura made it over and noticed the shattered rock, "Dad that thing was bigger than the van and now it's in pieces! Who did that?"  
  
Fujitaka pointed stupidly at Kaho, who turned to look at them. She looked as if she had been crying by the way she wiped her eyes.  
  
"Kaho," Fujitaka went to walk towards her.  
  
"I just got dust in my eyes that's all," Kaho said as she turned away from them once again.  
  
Fujitaka sighed, "Sakura would you leave us alone for a minute?"  
  
"Sure," Sakura said and she turned and jogged away.   
  
Fujitaka walked over to Kaho and put his hands on her shoulders. "What's wrong?  
  
"Nothing," Kaho answered.  
  
"I don't believe you," Fujitaka said as he slid his hands down her arms.   
  
"Then don't believe me," Kaho said.  
  
Fujitaka tightened his grip on her arms and he felt her tense up. He spun her around and held her by her upper arms firmly, but not as tightly as before. "Don't lie to me. I'm not here to make fun of you Kaho, you have every right to be upset. I'm here to help you, may it be to have someone to talk to or a shoulder to cry on, whichever you choose. All right?"  
  
Kaho didn't say anything, she just wrapped her arms around his neck. Fujitaka lowered them to the ground as Kaho cried in his arms.  
  
"Everything will be all right," Fujitaka said as he rubbed her back sympathetically. Kaho looked up at him and Fujitaka smiled. "When we get back," he said, "and all of this is over, marry me."  
  
Kaho's eyes widened at the statement, "You sure?"  
  
"If you will," Fujitaka said.  
  
Kaho smiled, "I will." Fujitaka smiled and kissed her as she laid back.  
  
***  
  
Sakura squealed as she watched all of it through her binoculars, "I wish I could hear what they were saying. Whatever Dad just said made Kaho's eyes go wide. I wish I could read lips!"  
  
"Well right now those lips are locked together," Kerberos said as he stole the binoculars.  
  
"Gimme those," Sakura said as she snatched the binoculars back. She found what Kero was looking at and she blanched. "Dad! Woo I have something to tell Tomoyo when we get back."  
  
"Hey, come on give me one side," Kerberos whined and Sakura let him have one eyepiece and she used the other. "Are you sure we should be watching this?" Kero asked.  
  
"Who's gonna find out?" Sakura asked him as she blanched. "If I could catch them on camera this would be hilarious."  
  
"Isn't this enough?" Kero asked as his nose started to bleed.   
  
"Kero!" Sakura pulled the binoculars away with a laugh and went to get Kero a tissue.  
  
***  
  
Fujitaka and Kaho walked back into camp about half an hour later and sat down by the dwindling fire. Sakura was lying on top of her sleeping bag reading a book. Fujitaka noticed the binoculars next to her.  
  
"What were you looking at?" Fujitaka asked.  
  
"Birds," Sakura answered.  
  
Kaho lifted an eyebrow, "What kind?"  
  
"Turtle Doves," Sakura said.  
  
"Turtle Doves don't live around here Sakura," Fujitaka said.  
  
"We saw them, didn't we Kero?" Sakura asked and Kero nodded.  
  
"Where?" Fujitaka was getting suspicious.  
  
"Mmm, over there," Sakura pointed to where her father and Kaho had just been.  
  
"Sakura," Fujitaka's voice had warning in it.  
  
"They were nesting," Sakura said, then she had to run as her father chased after her. Kaho laughed as Fujitaka chased after his daughter.  
  
***  
  
Alucard's Familiar: "*Snickers* I keep wondering if I should change the rating to this. I may have to if I get a complaint, there are more adult situations in here than I realized. So expect this to be in the R section on next update."  
  
Suppi: "Don't forget to review."  
  
Alucard's Familiar: "Gah! Where did you come from?"  
  
Suppi: "Nowhere."  
  
Alucard's Familiar: -_- okay...*Glomps Suppi* "Review please!" 


	6. Chapter 6

Alucard's Familiar: "Another chapter another chance to get this thing recognized. This is the climax people, I hope you like it!"  
  
Suppi: "Alucard's Familiar doesn't own CCS or any of its characters."  
  
Alucard's Familiar: " Many thanks Suppi..." -_-  
  
She was walking down a dark street. The light bulb had been broken by a rock, so trying to see anything was hard work. Kaho shivered in the darkness, she knew someone was following her, but she couldn't find them.  
  
  
She made it to a corner and looked around. She didn't see anything, but something in the back of her mind was telling her that something wasn't right. She went to turn around and found someone standing behind her.  
  
  
The man covered her mouth in his huge hand and others came out from behind a wall and grabbed her. She fought them, but one of the men was quicker. They punched her in the face and she blacked out.  
  
  
She woke up in an abandoned warehouse. She was tied to the floor and the men were standing around her, grinning to themselves. Kaho thrashed at the bindings, trying to get away from what she knew was about to happen to her.  
  
  
One was already on top of her, ripping her clothes off of her. She tried to get him off of herself by kneeing him, but her legs were tied to the floor as well. The man on top of her punched her in the stomach to stop her from moving, and then he did his work.  
  
  
Kaho sat up in her sleeping bag in a cold sweat. She had been waiting for that dream. It was a reoccurring dream, but it hadn't been showing for a while, now Kaho had experienced it again.  
  
  
She looked over at Fujitaka and found him sleeping peacefully. She smiled to herself at the view. She looked over at Sakura's sleeping bag and found it empty. Kaho frowned as she got up and walked over to it. She found a note on the top of the sleeping bag. She picked it up and read it:  
  
  
Hey Ms. Mitsuki, I couldn't sleep so I went out flying with Kero. I knew you would be awake sooner or later so I thought I would leave this here for you. I'm sure you know how to use it.   
  
  
Kaho found the Fly Card enfolded in the note and she smiled. Sakura knew how to make a point.  
  
***  
  
"Think she found the note?" Sakura asked as she sat on Kerberos's back.  
"I don't know Sakura, I'm not a psychic, and if she did, who knows if she know how to use it." Kero said.  
  
  
"I'm pretty sure she knows how," Sakura said, "I've seen her do other weird things, like breaking The Mazes walls.  
  
  
"You have a point there Sakura," Kero smiled at his mistress.  
  
  
"I wonder what she was dreaming about," Sakura said as she watched the full moon in front of her.  
  
  
"Probably nothing she would tell you," Kero frowned.  
  
  
Sakura made a face, "Yuck, gross."  
  
  
"I agree," came a voice from the side.  
  
  
Sakura looked over and found Kaho flying beside them, "Ms. Mitsuki! You do know how to use it." The Fly Card had made whatever Kaho had been wearing before into a shimmering white dress that made Kero whistle.  
  
  
The woman blushed, as she nodded, "I've never done this before."  
  
  
"You don't look like Yue, but you look different," Sakura said as she studied her.  
  
"Looks like an angel fell from heaven," Kero chimed and Sakura laughed as Kaho went red.  
  
"That's what my dad would say," Sakura laughed and Kaho went even redder. "Kero, could I use the Twin Card to double the Fly's capability?"  
  
  
"I don't see why not, I've never heard of Clow doing it, but these are your Cards now," Kero said.  
  
  
"Okay, Ms. Mitsuki, you may want to hover over Kerberos for a minute," Sakura said as she pulled out her wand.  
  
  
Kaho hovered over Kero as Sakura recalled the Fly and she hung on to Kero's hindquarters as Sakura did her work.  
  
  
"Twin Card, make the abilities of The Fly greater than that of one! Release!" The Fly wrapped around Sakura and Kaho and soon, they were both watching Kero. Sakura was now in a soft pink dress along with Kaho, who was back in the white one.  
  
  
"Hm, now there are two angels," Kero flattered them.  
  
"Kero," Sakura smiled, "Bet I could beat you in a race," she challenged the guardian.   
  
  
"I'd like to wager against you," Kero said as he floated over to her.  
  
  
"Ready, set, go!" Sakura shouted and she and the guardian took off.  
  
  
"I better follow them," Kaho said as she flew after them.  
  
  
"I'm gonna beat you," Sakura said as she pulled ahead of Kero for a minute.  
  
  
"In your dreams Card Mistress," Kero said as he shot out in front of her and took off, leaving her in the dust.  
  
  
"Whoa, he's fast," Sakura said as she stopped and watched the guardian zoom away.  
  
  
"Well what would you have expected," Kaho said as she flew over, "Clow Reed made them, so they have to have some speed."  
  
  
"Good point," Sakura said as she floated. "What were you dreaming about, you looked really restless in your sleep when I got up."  
  
  
Kaho looked to the ground, "You don't want to know."  
  
  
"Sometimes it helps to talk about things," Sakura said.  
  
  
"I've already talked about a lot of this with your father," Kaho said, "Besides, you're too young, you don't need to know what I went through."  
  
  
"All right," Sakura said as she flew in Kero's general direction. Kaho followed a few feet behind her, thinking.  
  
  
"Sakura, I think you're going the wrong way," Kerberos said as he flew beneath them. Fujitaka sat on his back.  
  
  
"Dad?" Sakura said as she stopped and looked down at them.  
  
  
"Hey, Kero said there were a couple of angels flying up here," Fujitaka smiled, his eyes twinkled with mischief, "He was right."  
  
  
"One is being shy," Kero said as he nodded in Kaho's direction.  
  
  
"Hey Sakura, get the shy angel to come over here, I want a picture," Fujitaka said as he pulled out his camera.  
  
  
Sakura floated over to Kaho with a mischievous look in her eyes. She grabbed Kaho's wrist and pulled back as hard as she could. The gust of wind teased Kaho's hair back and Fujitaka got a picture of it.  
  
  
"You know, when Tomoyo finds out about this she's going to want pictures," Fujitaka said.  
  
  
"That's why you're taking them aren't you?" Sakura said and her father nodded.  
  
  
"Okay, as Tomoyo would say, 'Give me a pose Sakura'," Fujitaka laughed as Sakura flew sideways, wisped her wings out and put on a solemn face, eyes half closed.  
  
  
"I should have done this a long time ago," Fujitaka said as he snapped a bunch of pictures of his daughter in different poses.  
  
  
"This will be nice to put in a photo album," Kaho said as she floated next to him.  
  
  
"Hey, I want shots of you too," Fujitaka said as he reloaded his camera. It was full of pictures of the phony ranch, now he was just using up the extra film.  
  
  
"Why me?" Kaho was taken aback.  
  
  
"Well, because I want together pictures of you and Sakura, and I want solo pictures of you to make my colleagues drool," Fujitaka said as he shot some more of his daughter. "Okay, get in there."  
  
  
Kaho whimpered as she floated over to Sakura, "Your father wants me to be in some of your pictures," Kaho said.  
  
  
"Cool," Sakura smiled as she puffed wind and Kaho, blowing her hair back and her dress whipped in the wind.  
  
  
"Come here you," Kaho laughed as she chased Sakura. She caught the girl as Sakura got an idea.  
  
  
Sakura folded her wings in enough to where they weren't in the way, but she could still stay aloft. She got Kaho to wrap her arms around her shoulders and her wings to curve around like they were embracing the air.  
  
  
"Get that shot blown up," Kero said as Fujitaka got a shot of it.  
  
  
"I'm getting a few of these blown up," Fujitaka said as looked up at his daughter and the woman he was soon going to marry. He got a few more shots of Sakura and Kaho as the danced around one another. They would flap their wings to blow gusts at one another, turning it into a game. Sakura's wings weren't as big as Kaho's, so she was at a disadvantage, but she made up for it by being quicker than Kaho. She got in three gust of air for every one Kaho did.  
  
  
"I think they're having too much fun," Kero smiled as he watched his mistress giggle and laugh as Kaho glided passed her, tickling her with a feather.  
  
  
"Hey Sakura, come over here, I want to get a couple of just Kaho," Fujitaka called out to his daughter.  
  
  
"Kay," Sakura said as she flew over to him. Sakura flew over to Kero and floated next to him and watched her father.  
  
  
Kaho floated where she was, not moving.  
  
  
"Well, do something," Fujitaka said.  
  
  
"Like what?" Kaho asked as she looked at him.  
  
  
Fujitaka thought of how he could get her to just go with her feelings when the wind gently ruffled his hair. Then he got an idea, "Dance with the wind."  
  
  
"Dance with the wind?" Kaho gave him a look.  
  
  
"Just try it," Fujitaka assured her.  
  
  
Kaho let the breeze tease her hair for a minute before she let her wings open and she lay back on a bed of wind. She folded her arms back behind her neck and let her wings catch the moving wind.  
  
  
"Whoa," Sakura stared at her former teacher in amazement as her dad got a shot of her.  
  
  
Kaho dropped from the updraft and floated lazily through the air, eyes half closed.  
  
  
"I have an idea," Sakura said as she pulled out the Glow Card. "Glow, shine your light as white as the moon, release!" Light that looked like thousands of fireflies exploded from the Card and floated over to Kaho. Sakura then released the Windy, who mixed with the already blowing wind and started to move Kaho in one general direction. The Glow wrapped and danced around her as Kaho let the wind gently push her over in Fujitaka's direction.  
  
  
"Wooo, this is going to be good," Sakura giggled as the wind pushed Kaho over to her father.  
  
  
Fujitaka got one shot of Kaho as a little bit of Glow danced in her hand before he got too caught up in her to shoot pictures anymore. Kero caught the camera in his mouth before it dropped. Sakura floated over and grabbed the camera and floated away so she could get a clear shot.  
  
  
Kaho floated into Fujitaka's arms and Sakura was about to burst at the sight. She waited for the right moment; Kero had a major sweat drop on his forehead.  
  
  
Fujitaka kissed Kaho, and Sakura got the shot she had been waiting for.  
  
  
Definitely a good shot, Sakura said as she smiled at her father, and a memorable one. Sakura started to giggle giddily, "Well, I think this'll make a good picture for a scrape book."  
  
***  
  
"So what do you think?" Sakura asked as they walked through the woods.  
  
  
"I think we're in for the fight of our lives," Fujitaka answered. A fox bounded over to them and started to shimmer. "Find it?" Fujitaka asked as Kaho shifted back to human form.  
  
  
"Yes, it's about an hours walk that way, shorter if we run," Kaho said.  
  
  
"I think flying is the easiest way," Kerberos said.  
  
  
"Well, there are only two people that can fly, and only one who can carry someone, so we can't." Fujitaka said.  
  
  
"I think you're wrong Dad," Sakura said as she pointed behind her father. He looked behind his to find a white horse with wings, a Pegasus.  
  
  
"Whoa," Fujitaka said as he stared at it.  
  
  
-Haven't you ever been told staring is rude?- Kaho asked as she flapped her wings impatiently.   
  
  
"I didn't know you could shape-shift to immortal animals too," Sakura said.  
  
  
-I can shift into any creature that is living, or once used to live. Or in this case, live in peoples minds,- Kaho said as she walked over to Fujitaka, -Shall we fly?-   
  
"You bet," Sakura said as she hopped onto Kero's back. They flew over the valley at an incredible rate of speed, yet seeing everything they needed to see.  
  
  
"What does it look like?" Fujitaka asked.  
  
  
-A castle with heavy artillery,- Kaho answered.  
  
  
"Lovely," Sakura said, "so now not only do we have some weird psycho to fight but we have to go up against bullets too?"  
  
  
"He seems to be more than he appears to be," Fujitaka said and Kaho whickered in agreement.  
  
  
"Where is it?" Sakura asked.  
  
  
-The place is barren, it's just outside the forest. It's like a whole different planet because of the dramatic area change.-   
  
  
"Do you think we can get in?" Fujitaka asked.  
  
-Maybe, but we would need a diversion, and I can't think of any at the moment.-  
  
"Maybe I could help," said a voice.  
  
They all turned to see a familiar winged guardian flying up beside them.  
  
"Yue!" Sakura shouted in delight. "How did you find us?"  
  
"I followed your aura, you'd be surprised how bright it is," Yue said. "It's a wonder how we can hide from our enemies with it."  
  
"Very funny," Sakura muttered as Fujitaka and Kaho giggled.  
  
"Is that who I think it is in Pegasus form?" Yue asked.  
  
"It's Kaho," Fujitaka reassured the guardian.  
  
"I had a feeling," Yue said.  
  
***  
  
"So what do you think?" Sakura asked as they studied the castle from the safety of the forest.  
  
"Not sure," Yukito said. Yue has switched forms to hide his own aura and for Yukito to take a look at the situations.  
  
"Well, we had better think of something before nightfall or we're sitting ducks out here," Kaho said.  
  
"She's right, we don't know what's out here," Fujitaka said as he scanned the forest.  
  
They heard hoof beats coming from behind them and they all turned to see a jet-black stallion running towards them.  
  
"He's mine," Kaho said as the others darted into trees. Kaho shifted into horse form and glared at the oncoming stallion. She reared in a challenge and Crafter accepted it with a rear of his own.  
  
Crafter charged her and Kaho darted to one side, hoping to lure him into a tree. No such luck, Crafter turned on a dime and headed straight for her. The fight then turned tooth and hoof. Crafter's sharp hooves tore into Kaho's skin and she in turn bit him.  
  
Crafter aimed for Kaho's legs, trying to slash the tendons. She tried to evade the assault by rearing away, but Crafter was quicker and knocked her over. Kaho scrambled to her feet and bucked Crafter in the nose. Crafter screamed in rage and jammed his hooves into her side.  
  
Kaho whinnied in pain and Crafter aimed his sharp hooves to her legs again. He took out her front right leg with a kick and cut the tendons in her left back leg with a sharp blow of his hoof.  
  
The mare fell to her side and struggled to get up. Crafter was on top of her in an instant and took his prize with a satisfied nicker. Kaho dropped her head to the ground in defeat and laid there in humiliation as the stallion took her. She glanced up at Fujitaka in a tree and wished she were dead.  
  
-Leave me here,- Kaho said in defeat, -I'm of no use to you guys now.- She loathed him every second he had her, then she finally felt him pull away and walk up to the front and nuzzle her a little. Kaho ignored his gesture of affection and the stallion began to walk away.  
  
Kaho lunged for his back leg and sank her teeth into it, severing the tendon. Crafter fell to the ground as two arrows hit him in the neck and Kerberos landed on top of him a second later.  
  
Fujitaka jumped out of the tree and ran over to Kaho as she shifted out of horse form. Sakura and Yue appeared seconds later and Sakura released The Fiery Card to burn Crafter's prone body.  
  
Kaho was irritated and pushed away from Fujitaka and shifted into wolf form. She growled and bristled her fur in irritation as she walked stiff legged around Crafter's burning body. Her growling could be heard over the fire and scared Sakura. Fujitaka, Yue, and Kerberos were a little uncomfortable at the sound.  
  
Curses and profanity were heard from Kaho's stray thoughts and Fujitaka shivered at the few that he caught. He watched Kaho shift out of wolf form and stared over at him in sadness. Tears streamed down her face as she turned and ran back to their campsite. Fujitaka followed her, leaving Sakura with her guardians.  
  
"Kaho," Fujitaka made it to their campsite and found Kaho huddled near the fire with her knees pulled up to her chin and her head buried in her arms. Her sides heaved with heavy sobs as she cried silently in the evening light.  
  
Fujitaka frowned as he walked over to her and pulled her into his arms. "It's going to be all right," he said. "It's all right." He tried to calm her down with no success. She just cried in his arms until Sakura and her guardians came back to camp. By then she was silent, but she didn't want to leave Fujitaka's assuring embrace and held him tightly.  
  
"Is she all right?" Yue asked.  
  
"I'm not sure," Fujitaka answered truthfully. "Right now all I think she wants is comforting arms around her."  
  
***  
  
"Ready?" Sakura asked as they stared at the dark castle. They all nodded, and they began to break in to the castles unbeatable array of arsenals.  
  
  
They were taking the castle by surprise. Sakura usually flew in on the Fly Card. Instead, Sakura and Fujitaka would fly in on Kero lower to the ground with Yue while Kaho used the Fly Card. She was literally playing the decoy.  
  
Kaho released the Fly Card and took her place in the sky while Sakura, Fujitaka, Kerberos, and Yue hovered below her near the ground.   
  
  
"I really don't like this idea," Fujitaka said as he watched the sky overhead.  
  
  
"She said she owed us," Sakura said, "I was hoping she would pick something else too, but she believes this is fair and won't go back on her word."  
  
  
Kaho moved forward, signaling the start of the fight.  
  
  
"When the first shot is fired we move out," Fujitaka said.  
  
  
"That's the plan," Kero said.  
  
  
About a dozen shots were fired at the same time.   
  
  
"I think one of the those was the first shot!" Sakura said in surprise as she watched the energy beams from the cannons charge toward her teacher.  
  
  
They were all around her and Kaho dodged them right and left, slowly closing the gap between herself and the castle.  
  
  
"She'll be killed!" Sakura said as her teacher took a blast straight in the chest.  
  
  
"She has a shield around her Sakura," Kero said as he flew, "It's good for a few dozen blasts, then it will shatter."  
  
  
"I hope we make it in there before that," Fujitaka said.  
  
  
"As do I," Yue said, "We need all of the fire power we have. If we lose one, we will have a harder time."  
  
  
"Do we all agree and know we may all not come out of this with our lives?" Kero asked and Sakura and Fujitaka nodded as the looked up at Kaho.  
  
***  
  
I must be insane, Kaho said to herself as she watched more of the blasts come at her. She was dodging them left and right, but was having a hard time keeping up the pace. She stole a glance down and saw Kero and the others a few meters ahead of her.  
  
  
Her stolen glance cost her a blast to her right wing. Thankfully the shield took the damage, but the shield had already taken a few hits, and she couldn't sacrifice anymore. She had to get to those snipers and destroy them.  
  
  
Kaho gained altitude and rose over the castle and looked down at the snipers. Yep, definitely insane.   
  
***  
  
"We made it, they didn't even see us," Sakura said as they flew through the entranceway of the castle.  
  
  
"Yes, but what is waiting the shadows for us?" Yue asked and Sakura sweat-dropped. They flew down the hallway and into an empty room, or so they thought it was.  
  
  
"Welcome Sakura, I see you have made it passed my heavy duty arsenals," Saikoro smiled down at the young magician as she hopped off of her guardian.  
  
  
"It's over Saikoro, your battle ends here and now," Sakura shouted.   
  
  
"Oh I'm shaking in my boots," Saikoro said smiled and shot multiple energy beams at her.  
  
  
"Fiery!" Sakura shouted and the element attacked.  
  
  
"Is that the best you can do?" Saikoro asked as he eliminated Fiery with a wave of his hand.  
  
  
"Kero what do I do?" Sakura asked.  
  
  
"Use two elements at once and watch," Kero said as he and Yue prepared to attack.  
  
  
"All right," Sakura said as she pulled out Fiery and Watery. "Fiery, Watery attack!"  
  
The two elements merged, creating a liquid fireball, heading straight fro Saikoro.  
  
"Kero, Yue, go help Ms. Mitsuki, I doubt she'll be able to hold out on her own," Sakura said and the two guardians left in an instant.  
  
Saikoro finished his battle with the fireball and turned his attention to the Card Mistress. "That was very good, would you like to see mine?" He shot a blue fireball at Sakura and her father.  
  
"Shield!" Sakura called on the card and it deflected to fire back at Saikoro.   
  
Saikoro waved it away and grinned, "Well, it looks like this is going to be more fun than I though it was." He started to glow a bluish green color and Sakura's eyes widened in fear.  
  
Then, like someone had opened her eyes for her, she found Saikoro's weakness. He left himself open for an attack by lifting his arms away from himself. She quickly pulled out the Arrow Card and released it.  
  
An arrow sank into Saikoro's chest and his eye rolled into the back of his head. Sakura and Fujitaka took this as a sign to haul ass out of there and they did.  
  
They made it into the forest before the castle exploded, sending rocks and debris into the air. Sakura and Fujitaka took cover in a thick elm tree and waited out the destruction, crossing their fingers and Kaho, Kero, and Yue were already long gone.  
  
***  
  
"Kerberos, Yue, Ms. Mitsuki!" Sakura shouted as they ran through the rubble of the destroyed castle. They had checked every inch of the forest and had found no signs of their friends. Now they were searching through the rumble of the destructed castle.  
  
  
"Sakura!" Came Kero's voice from behind them.  
  
  
"Kero, are you all right?" Fujitaka asked.  
  
  
"I'm fine, but," he shook his head. "Come with me."  
  
  
Kero guided them around a giant wall of rubble and over a few hills of the same stuff. Kero turned one more corner and Sakura found a horrifying sight before her. Yue was sitting on the ground, leaning up against a wall of rocks, holding Kaho in his arms.  
  
  
"Ms. Mitsuki!" Sakura shouted.  
  
  
"Kaho!" Fujitaka shouted as they both ran over.  
  
  
"Yue, what happened?" Sakura asked.  
  
  
Yue looked up at them, "She's dying."  
  
  
"No!" Sakura cried and Fujitaka switched places with Yue so he wasn't cramping his wings.  
  
  
She was bloody, covered in wounds, and her breath came in short gasps. Fujitaka checked her pulse and found it faint.  
  
  
"What happened?" Sakura asked.  
  
  
"I take it as my fault," Kero said. "I blast was coming at me, and I was powerless to stop it. Out of nowhere Kaho darted in front of me and took the hit. She stayed in the air long enough for us to take out the rest of the gunmen, then she started to fall. The castle exploded and we were all thrown in different directions. It took us a while to find her, but this is where she was laying. She hasn't made a sound since we found her."  
  
  
"The Fly Card is missing," Yue said, "Kaho tried to tell us where it was when we found her, but she passed out trying. We've been trying took wake her up, but she keeps slipping away."  
  
  
"Dad, do you know of anyway to wake her up?" Sakura asked her father.  
  
  
"Sometimes a small shock of pain can wake someone," Fujitaka said and he gently pinched Kaho's arm. Kaho jerked in his arms and opened her eyes.  
  
  
"Ms. Mitsuki!" Sakura smiled.  
  
  
"Kaho?" Fujitaka said.  
  
  
Kaho gasped when she tried to sit up. She didn't succeed in that task, but she did manage to slip the Fly Card out from under her sleeve.  
  
  
"She hid it in her sleeve," Kero said.  
  
  
"Probably when she was about to hit the ground as we did, the Card reseeded," Yue said, "As to not lose it, Kaho snatched it and hid it in her sleeve."  
  
  
"How can we save her?" Sakura asked.  
  
  
"I don't know Sakura," Kero said, "Her wounds are fatal."  
  
  
Kaho pulled herself to her feet in one quick motion, scaring Fujitaka. She leaned up against the wall of rubble and looked at the people around her, then straight at Sakura. She held out her hand and a little ball of glowing white light formed in it.  
  
  
"Kaho, stop, don't waste your energy," Fujitaka said as he stood up.  
  
  
"I'm not," Kaho said softly. She faltered against the wall and Fujitaka grabbed her to keep her from falling. She coughed up blood and looked at Sakura, "Clow Reed wanted you to have this Sakura, here." The white glowing ball started to glow brighter as Kaho tossed it Sakura. Sakura caught it, and a Card formed in her hand.  
  
  
"The Life," Sakura read the Cards name.  
  
  
"One life was needed to be taken in order to create that Card Sakura," Kaho winced, "But with it, you can save many. Use it well...Sakura." Kaho went limp in Fujitaka's arms, and his legs folded underneath him. He sat down hard on the ground, holding Kaho's lifeless body in his arms.  
  
  
"Sakura! Use the Life Card to bring Kaho back!" Kero shouted.  
  
  
"But it's a different Card, it's not a Clow Card or one of my Cards," Sakura said, "I don't know how to use it."  
  
  
"Then change it Sakura, you know how, quickly," Yue said.  
  
  
"All right," Sakura said as she looked at the white Card in her hand, "Card created by the power of the moon, shed your old form and reincarnate under the name of your new master Sakura! Life!" The Card transformed and white sparks of light scattered out. The light gathered around Kaho and her body started to glow. Her wounds healed and the light disappeared.  
  
  
Sakura caught the Card as it floated back to her, then she looked back down at Kaho.  
  
  
"She's breathing," Fujitaka smiled. His smile widened when Kaho opened her amber eyes and looked up at him. She sat up quickly and looked around.  
  
  
"Ms. Mitsuki!" Sakura hugged her friend and Kaho fell backwards, back into Fujitaka's lap.  
  
  
"All right!" Came of voice from behind them.  
  
  
"Uh-oh," Tomoyo said, "Uh, hi."  
  
  
"Tomoyo, what are you doing here?" Sakura asked as she let Kaho go, who gasped in a breath of much needed air.  
  
  
"I've been following you for the passed three days," Tomoyo answered, "Filming your great fight, and your life giving Card transformation."  
  
  
"Tomoyo," Sakura sweat dropped.  
  
  
"I think that video will come in handy," Fujitaka said as he stood up, pulling Kaho to her feet.  
  
  
"What do you mean?" Sakura asked.  
  
  
"I'd like to know too," Kaho said.  
  
  
"We're going to send Eriol a little present," Fujitaka said.  
  
***  
  
Alucard's Familiar: "Yes, a little corny, yes I should probably rewrite it, but hell, it is cute. One more chapter to go!"  
  
Suppi: "Don't forget to review!" 


	7. Chapter 7

Alucard's Familiar: "Okay, last chapter, all done with this torture that no except a slim few seem to like. Hugs to all those who actually read this story and many thanks. Also, this chapter is immensely shorter than all of the others you have read. This was just a cute little epilogue I threw in to see if it worked. Any of you people that have the song Cry by Faith Hill, I would recommend that you listen to it in the appropriate spot in here. It gives the story an added kick in my opinion"   
  
Kero: "Alucard's Familiar doesn't own CCS or any of its characters. She doesn't own the song either."  
  
Suppi: "Hey, that's my line."  
  
Kero: "Don't see your name on it!"  
  
Alucard's Familiar: "Oh dear." *Looks for the fire extinguisher*   
  
Chapter 7  
  
"Master, you have a package," Nakuru said as she walked into the room.  
  
  
"Let me see it Nakuru," Eriol said and Nakuru gave him the package. "Ah, it's from Sakura and Tomoyo, let us see what they have been filming." Eriol put the video in the player and turned on the TV.  
  
The screen flickered for a minute, then Sakura and Tomoyo appeared on the screen.  
  
"Hey Eriol, we thought we would send you this video to show you what we've been up to," Sakura said.  
  
"It's been one action packed filled week and I got most of it on camera," Tomoyo said, "We have a new kawaii couple in the neighborhood, and they will be on this video too."  
  
"Hey Dad," Sakura said, "Is she ready?"  
  
"She said she is going to kill you when she's done with this," Fujitaka said as he sat down.  
  
"Eriol, remember how we teased and taunted you on the phone that day about Kaho being dead?" Sakura asked. "Well, she's back from the grave to send you this one last message."  
  
The camera swerved to a new location and focused on Kaho standing against a leather brown background. Her clothes were faded and torn, and her skin was pale. Her eyes were blurred, like they had a film covering them.  
  
"This song is called, 'Cry,' by Faith Hill, but Kaho will be singing it for you Eriol while you will be watching this tape." Tomoyo said over the music.  
  
Kaho looked straight at the camera and Eriol squirmed in his seat.  
  
"Eriol, you will pay," Kaho said loudly and the song started.  
  
[If I had, just one, tear rolling down your cheek  
  
Maybe, I could, cope, maybe I'd get some sleep  
  
If I had, just one, moment at your expense, maybe all my misery   
  
Would be well, spent yeah.  
  
Could you cry a little, lie just a little  
  
Pretend that you're feeling, a little more pain  
  
I gave, now I'm wanting, something in return  
  
So cry just a little for me]  
  
As Kaho sang the first verse, she moved across the brown background like someone who hadn't walked in ages. She stumbled, leaned back against it, or nearly fell many a times, giving it an added effect.  
  
Then the scenes from the passed few days started to play in-between the short clips of Kaho singing.  
  
There was everything to the incident at the ranch, to the very end of the fighting.  
  
There was one part in particular that fit in perfectly with the song. It was when Kaho took the hit for Kero, but stayed in the air long enough to help finish off the gunmen. The scene switched to a close up of Kaho lying in Fujitaka's arms.  
  
Eriol watched as she pulled herself up and went through the process of giving Sakura the Life Card. He watched as Kaho died in Fujitaka's arms, and Sakura bringing her back.  
  
[Give it up baby, I hear you're doing fine  
  
Nothing's going to save me, I see it in your eyes  
  
Some kind a heartache honey, give it a try  
  
I don't want pity, I just want what is, mine yeah  
  
Could you cry a little, lie just a little  
  
Pretend that you're feeling a little more pain  
  
I gave, now I'm wanting, something in return  
  
So cry just a little for me yeah  
  
Cry just a little for me  
  
Could you cry a little for me?]  
  
Kaho changed then, from someone who was tired and worn, to someone alive and full of life. Her clothes we different, her eyes were brighter, and her mood was lifting. She looked at the camera and pointed at it.   
  
"Eriol, when you thought I died, I did not," Kaho said, "I died in that movie clip. But the gift from Clow, the one that I waited to give her, saved me. The gift was from Clow, not you."  
  
"This is a challenge Eriol," Kaho said, "If you can come back here and show your face before me in true apology, then your life will be free from my torment. If you cannot, I will haunt you day and night. You will pay for the pain you gave me Eriol, buy giving me yours."  
  
"Do you accept my challenge Eriol?" Kaho asked, "My friends believe it is a fair challenge, and I believe your guardians will too." Sakura, Tomoyo, Kerberos, and Fujitaka walked on screen, Yue, inevitably, was holding the camera.  
  
"You said I would never find love Eriol," Kaho said, "You were wrong. I have a fiancŽ, and he is standing right next to me." Fujitaka put a hand on her shoulder.  
  
"It's your move Eriol," Kaho said, "We're waiting." The tape ended.  
  
"Master?" Nakuru asked tentatively.  
  
Eriol was shaking in rage.  
  
"I accept you challenge Kaho, but I'm not coming to apologize," Eriol said, "I will make sure you stay dead this time, and destroy that Life Card."  
  
Nakuru heard this and slipped out of the room. She slipped into Spinal's room and picked up the phone.  
  
"What the matter Nakuru?" Spinal asked.  
  
"They're in trouble Suppi," Nakuru said, "I have to warn them."  
  
***  
  
"Hello?" Fujitaka answered the phone.  
  
"Mr. Kinomoto?" Came Nakuru's voice.  
  
"Ah Nakuru, has Eriol watched our video?" Fujitaka asked.  
  
"Yes sir, and he's in a rage, he's heading to Japan soon," Nakuru said as Kaho put her on speaker phone, "I'm calling to warn you, he's gone mad, you must get out of there, he will kill you, and destroy that Card."  
  
"We're ready for him Nakuru," Sakura said, "He doesn't know what I can do."  
  
"I hope you're right Sakura," Nakuru said, "I have to go, Eriol's coming."  
  
"Good luck," came Suppi's voice, and the line clicked off.  
  
"He took the bait," Fujitaka said.  
  
"Now we reel him in," Sakura said.  
  
***  
  
Alucard's Familiar: "Yeah, like I said, immensely short. But, at least it's done. I have a sequel in mind, but only if people want it."  
  
Kero: "I want it!"  
  
Suppi: *On a sugar rush* Me too!"  
  
Alucard's Familiar: "Oh no, they're strange again." *Takes cover* On a more personal note, I hope some of the people who read this take the idea to heart and try the pairing I made and put it into their own writing. If I don't see something similar to my pairing soon I shall keel over and fall into a six foot ditch. I'm lonely in this category."  
  
Kero and Suppi: "We love you."  
  
Alucard's Familiar: "Hide me."  
  
Kero and Suppi: "Don't forget to review!" 


End file.
